Waiting
by Precious Pup
Summary: Gibbs just got the team back together & McGee is shot. As they wait in the hospital for news many revelations about missing months come out.McGee has married Ziva as a friend to keep her in the country. McGiva wedding,Tony throws Tim Bachelor Party
1. Chapter 1

Abby heard the shot ringing through her head

Abby heard the shot ringing through her head. She _heard_ the shot. Heard his body fall to the ground. Heard the silence afterwards.

Timmytimmytimmytimmytimmytimmytimmytimmytimmytimmytimmy

Not now. Please God not now. The last time she had seen him he had kissed her and smiled that light up the room smile that just squeezed at her heart. He loved her. He always had. She had been the one to ask him out again. A date. Not exclusive she wanted to be clear on that but a date. She had missed him so much and now….

She burst through the Bethesda Emergency hospital doors and nearly skidded past the Nurses Station in her haste.

"Timothy McGee! NCIS Special Agent McGee. Gunshot wound to the chest. Where is he? Is he ok? Don't answer that. I know he's not ok he's been shot. But you know he will be alright won't he? Cause I don't think I could handle it. I know that's selfish but I can't loose anyone else. Kate, Jenny even Paula but you know this is McGee! You know he is just always there. Always…. I'm sorry I'm Abigail Scuito. I'm his….. girlfriend "

There she had said it.

The nurse smiled and checked her charts. "He's in surgery at the moment. The Doctor will come and speak to you when they have any news for you. I'm sorry I don't know anymore"

Abby nodded, suddenly not trusting herself to speak. She bit her lip her eyes filling with fresh tears and turned to sit down. Surgery. Where was everyone? He would need to know they were all there for him. McGee was always there for her and now when she needed his comfort he wasn't able to give it.

Gibbs had only just got him back from the Cyber Crime Unit. He had been looking forward to going back into the field. It was going to be like old times. She had missed him. She had heard Tony laughing quietly when he tripped over something. Suddenly it was on. There were running footsteps and yelling. Confusion. Doors slamming. And then she had heard it. A gunshot. A cry. And the sound of a body falling.

She had called his name urgently, demanding that he get up and tell her what went wrong. She forgot that he wouldn't be able to hear her. That she had diverted the operations audio down to her lab so she could hear him, hear them, her team together again.

"McGee!McGee! Answer me McGee! Right now you hear me !"

She had called his name over and over, tears spilling down her face until she had heard Tony call for an ambulance.

She sat down into the hard plastic chairs to wait.

Ducky and Jimmy arrived minutes later. "Oh my dear" Abby felt Ducky's arms wrap around her. His arms were shorter and smaller than McGee's were but she still felt the firm warmth.

Gibbs suddenly burst through the doors, still wearing his vest his forearms covered in blood. In Timothy's blood. Abby couldn't stop staring. Gibbs was talking to Ducky, she could see his mouth move but all she could see was the blood. It was such a rich red. Timmy never wore red, it wasn't his color.  
But that was his color.  
That was his _blood_.

Tony and Ziva weren't far behind him. Ziva looked shocked and Tony seemed grim. Tony was always smiling, always joking so to see him so serious scared her. Ziva sat down next to her. She had a smear of blood on her cheek. Had McGee put it there? Had Gibbs? Her face seemed pale under her frame of dark hair.

There was nothing to be said. They all just waited.

An hour of agony ticked slowly by. Abby trembled as a Doctor walked towards them still in his surgical scrubs. She tried to read his face while her mind couldn't form a thought other than 'pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease

"Are you Agent McGee's colleagues? He has come through surgery well. He was very lucky. He lost a lot of blood but the bullet missed a lot of vital points. There is still a risk of infection and he will be in considerable pain for some time but given the situation it was the best we could hope for."

Six held breathes were released and Tony smiled again. The Doctor assured them he would speak to them again if there were any further developments and he walked away. There seemed to be a lot of back slapping and grinning. Only Ziva didn't move, her hands wedged between her knees, her face covered by her long thick hair.

Another woman strode into the Emergency Department. She was older, well dressed and carried herself with authority. There was something about her that seemed familiar but she couldn't pick where she had seen her before.

"Timothy McGee. Brought in recently with a gunshot wound."

There was a new nurse at the station and Abby watched as she checked his file. "Are you family?'

"No. I'm his… for want of a better word, Mistress."

"Ah, he has come out of surgery and is in recovery. I'm sorry but at this stage only immediate kin will be allowed in to see him."

"Has his wife been in to see him yet?"

Her quiet words seem to ricochet around the bare walls.

Mistress?

Wife?

The nurse picked up McGee's file and flicked through the chart, searching for details.

"Oh here it is. Mrs. Ziva David McGee. No I don't believe she has…."

Ziva stood up, silent tears spilling out of her eyes. "I'm Mrs. Ziva David McGee. Can I see him please?" Her voice was quiet. She stepped forward and didn't look at any of the others as the nurse led her down the hallway.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been two days after the funeral that he had come to her. He had knocked at her door again and she had numbly let him in. There had been too many changes in the last five days and now she was going to have to go home.

Home.

But home felt like here with Gibbs and her friends and her apartment where she had just got the kitchen arranged how she liked. She had just finished mapping and timing all of the running loops she liked in Washington. Her hairdresser was here, she had only recently found the perfect picture for the wall above her bed, she needed only one more Berry Bliss fruit blend on her card until she got a free one.

So trivial what bothered her at the moment. McGee was still talking about something.

"Ziva please. This is hard for me. Not hard but weird and I know your going to say no. But you can't say no and I won't let you say no."

Ziva looked up from the vast distance of her lounge room away to suddenly notice McGee's agitation. And suddenly she was back. Why was he all worked up? He didn't have the right to be worried about anything. He was going to the Cyber Crime Unit. They would probably adore him like a god there and he wouldn't have to put up with Tony picking on him anymore. Tony. She was the one who was going to have to move, to change everything about her life. And who she had become. And here he was dithering and stressing. How dare he? She felt herself getting cross as she watched him pace across her floor.

"What on earth are you going on about McGee? And you better have a good answer or in the mood I'm in I will just throw you out of my apartment. And I won't send you a postcard when I'm gone either." She tried to make this a joke but her voice came out with a catch belying her anxiety.

"What am I going on about? Well umm this should be easier than the real thing shouldn't it" McGee looked at her hopefully.

Ziva just returned his look blankly, her frustration bubbling just under the surface. She waived her hand in a circular motion trying to get him to just come out with it. She really should start packing. She had been putting it off waiting for some sort of miracle. She didn't even have enough boxes. Did she have any packing tape? Maybe there was some in her kitchen drawer? Is that why McGee was here? To help her pack?

"Well that's it. Its not that I don't care for you it's just that.. well I haven't ever done this sort of thing before. Not that I think that practice would necessarily make it any better. I mean look at Gibbs he must have done it what say four times?  
Anyway I have been up all night thinking about it and it's the only solution. So you have to say yes and I want to do this. And I don't think it will be that bad I mean we get on well enough and it would only be temporary or well as long as it would need to be. I mean not like forever. And we could still see other people we would just have to be careful. And in a way me being transferred would be a good thing as then we won't be with the same team, at least initially hopefully if Gibbs can find a way out of this."

McGee looked at her again and then ran his fingers through his hair. He did seem a bit disheveled now that Ziva considered it. He was usually if not stylish always very neat. His clothes usually pressed and immaculate seemed rumpled and ill fitting. He had lost weight she noticed even over these few days. Men lost weight so easily. Than again he lived alone in his tiny apartment who knew what he bothered to eat when he was alone at night? Maybe she should insist on him having some of the slow baked lamb she had left over from last night.

After some consideration as Ziva watched him talk rather animatedly to himself back and forwards across her lounge room rug, waiving his hands around she decided that something was definitely up with McGee. He had that tip of his tongue, about to break the case, crack the code energy about him.

Suddenly he turned to her "So what do you think?"

"What do I think about what?"

McGee seemed gob smacked "I just laid out all the pros and cons to solve this situation and all you can say is what do I think about what?"

Ziva narrowed her eyes and looked at him carefully "Have you lost weight McGee?"

McGee rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. "Yes. No. I don't know. Now is not the time to ask me something like that."

"Why what sort of time is it?"

"Ziva! I just asked you to marry me!"

Ziva stood there and stared at him "Could you please repeat that McGee. I do not think I understood what you said to me just then."

McGee sighed and threw his hands up in the air again frustrated. "I went through it all in my head last night. Every different scenario trying to make sure I could explain it to you. But at least in my head you understood the question."

Suddenly he turned and scrambled in his jacket pocket "Here does this make it any better?"

McGee walked across to her, knelt down on one knee and snapped open a velvet jeweler's box. He took a deep breath and then with a smile and a trembling hand he asked "Ziva David, would you do the honor of marrying me?"

(Come on guys what do you think?)


	3. Chapter 3

They had argued then. Argued like they have never argued before, mostly because McGee always backed down.

Not this time. McGee stood his ground, he insisted, he got blank paper and wrote out all his pros and cons that he had memorized, he explained carefully, he shouted at her, he apologized and then later shouted at her in frustration again. He was about to start mapping out the teams entire situation into a Venn diagram when she quietly said yes.

Ziva didn't know if it was because she was tired, if it was the only way or because McGee was trying so hard to save her. He really was so sweet and a good friend. It might even work. She sank down onto her couch and felt the stunning platinum emerald cut diamond solitaire McGee had slipped onto her finger around her finger. He had been worried it wouldn't fit and had assured her at some stage that he could easily take it and get the size changed. He didn't need to. It had been perfect and it had slipped onto her finger as if it was meant to be there.

It was very expensive and she knew her diamonds. He could have just brought her a band, considering it was a 'fake' wedding but she smiled. He still wanted it to be nice for her. And so she had said yes.

McGee hadn't heard her so she stood up and walked over to him and slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him from behind.

"Err what are you doing? Not that I don't mind a hug right now but?"

"I already said yes McGee."

"You did? Wow ok then."

The two of them stood there for a moment as sudden silence rushed in. Ziva stepped away with a smile and looked at him.

"So now what?"

"Now what?"

"You're the one with the big plan McGee. So now what?"

"Oh of course. Well I supposed we get married."

"Ok then" Ziva turned to get her coat happy in a way to be at least doing something. It was a strange way to fight back but it was something.

"What are you doing?"

"I thought we were going to get married? Isn't that what the last few hours have been all about?"

"Well yes but you don't just go and _get married_. We will have to book into the registry, get a blood test, we will need a witness and we need to go shopping."

"Shopping? What do we need to go shopping for?"

McGee just looked at her in amazement "A wedding dress? Flowers? I don't know about you but I am not going to get married in a suit I wear to work everyday."

It was then that Ziva just laughed. She threw back her head and laughed. And it felt so good after the drama of the last week to feel happy. She had never imagined having this conversation with McGee and he was just so … so…...

She went over and squeezed his checks between her hands, grinning up at him.

"You are going to make an excellent husband to someone one day McGee."

"Hopefully I will make a good husband to you in about two days Ziva"

Ziva just laughed and gently slapped his cheek. "Alright then Mr Wedding Planner lets go shopping"

McGee smiled too and she saw some of the tension he had been carrying drain away. He really had been up all night trying to work this through. He waited by her door as she went and grabbed her coat and purse.

"So should we consider that our first proper fight then?" McGee smiled at her

"Are you angling for make up sex then McGee?" Ziva teased him glad to be back on solid footing again.

McGee just stood there, blushing to the tips of his ears, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to figure out something to say to that comment that might be appropriate. In the end he just shook his head and followed the smirking Ziva.

Ziva tried not to admit it but she had fun. McGee drove her around some of Washington's best bridal boutiques. She teased him that as the groom he really shouldn't be seeing her in something that she might pick to get married in. When he left to go sit outside so he wouldn't 'spoil the surprise' she had laughed at him and dragged him back inside as she did truly want his opinion.

The sun was shining, he put the top down on the Porsche and the wind whipped through her hair. She helped him pick out a suit and had alterations rushed through. They booked into a civil service, had blood tests taken and after a very long day had a beautiful and rather romantic candlelit dinner together at one of Washington's best restaurants.

"So McGee what do you think? The raw silk suit or the plain satin slip dress?" Ziva smirked a she delicately licked some cream from her dessert off her spoon. She knew what his head would say but she also knew what the rest of him would say.

"Um well the shot silk suit is perfect for a registry wedding. It looks great on you. You wouldn't have to get to much alteration work on it either. And you might be able to wear it again somewhere as it's not too bridally. Which is what you were after."

"Yes and…." Ziva liked the cream mid calf length fitted silk skirt and tailored jacket. With a corsage and her hair up and some jewelry it would be beautifully appropriate for their extremely small service. Very classic.

McGee swallowed as he remembered Ziva swaying out of the changing room in the slip dress. It was like a 1930's style rich ivory satin dress. It was very plain with just two simple over the shoulder straps and no other detailing or sequins. It was the fit which made the dress. It caressed every curve, showed off the plunge of her breasts to perfection and ended in a little shiny puddle on the floor. Even the color seemed to make her glow and McGee's jaw had just dropped when she closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair which she had dropped loose over her shoulders. No makeup, no jewelry and possibly no underwear. Just the dress.

McGee cleared his throat trying to think clearly. "Yes it's very nice. But I think the suit is probably more suitable to what we are after."

Ziva smiled. She had seen him staring at her and decided that if she was going to get married she wanted him to remember all that he was taking on.

"No I think I will take the dress." Ziva smiled as McGee shifted uncomfortably in his chair. This _had_ been his idea.

(Ok so how is this travelling. Want more? Im sure there are lots of people saying yeah right mCGiva wedding? But still you never know ... and Tonys had three seasons of chances with Ziva so who knows)


	4. Chapter 4

"Ok well I will come over first thing in the morning. It's going to need to be early if we are going to everything done before the ceremony."

Ziva just looked at McGee with astonishment. "More things to do? What more could we possibly need to do that is going to take all day. We are just getting married."

McGee just shot her a dirty look and pulled out his Blackberry. "Ok we will need a photographer, now you have picked the dress we need to go buy it, there are the flowers still to pick out, and we still need a witness, a cake…."

"A cake? It will be for two people what on earth do we need a cake for?"

"It will be for three people. You, me and I was thinking of asking Sarah to be our witness. I don't want to ask anyone from work for obvious reasons and it would be good to have a family member know in case they need to help us with our story."

"Our story?"

McGee sighed "Look Ziva, you go and have your work position ended and are asked to return to Israel and suddenly you turn up married to a co worker? Suspicious much? So we have to pretend that we have been seeing each other secretly for a while and then the work situation just expedited things. That reminds me. Apartments. We will need to go to each other apartments and get familiar with them. Put some clothes in each others wardrobes, toothbrushes in bathrooms that sort of thing. If we have been seeing each other for a while then I would know where you kept your coffee mugs for example and what temperature you have your thermostat set to. That's what's really going to take up the time."

McGee looked at Ziva and reached across the table and covered her hand. "I have tried to think of everything but I honestly don't know how it's going to turn out. I do want to try though. Please?"

Ziva turned and smiled at him .He really was the one putting all the work into trying to save her. There were reasons why it was McGee and not Tony sitting her beside her now. Reasons that right now she didn't feel like exploring. Ziva watched the candle flame reflections flickering off the dark restaurant windows, McGee's hand still warmly covering hers.

"You are right. I hadn't considered all of the implications of this. So we treat this like an undercover operation. We will need a complete back story going back some months. When we first got together, our first date, first kiss, pet names etc."

McGee smiled sheepishly "Well I have kind of already created a dossier on err us. You know in case I got you to say yes. It's back at my apartment. I will give it to you tomorrow for you to review and if there is anything you think I should change then we can go through it together."

Ziva watched as he leaned back a bit away from her as if expecting her to hit him in the shoulder but she just smiled.

"Thank you McGee that must have taken some time for you to put together."

McGee smiled 'I don't think I have slept properly for thinking since the minute I walked out of Director Vance's office." He sighed and Ziva could see that underneath the excitement and concern the underlying weariness. Ziva too hadn't been sleeping well but for different reasons.

"By the way don't change the subject. I want a cake even if it's a little one. This may not be exactly the way I pictured getting married but still it will always be my first wedding. Hopefully I will find someone else willing to marry me at some stage and I can have kids and family Christmas's and a wife who loves me but who knows this may be it."

Ziva heard the sadness creep into his voice at the consideration that this 'friendly' marriage may be possibly his only chance to get married. She had trained herself over the years to never think of such things. For years survival was what was important not ceremonies. And certainly 'till death do you part' had a different meaning when you were often running for your life.

It saddened her to think of McGee, one of the best men she had ever met, someone so generous as to offer to marry her to help her stay in the country wondered if he would end up living alone.

Ziva reached across and gently slapped his face bringing him out of his revere "Of course you will get married again. In fact I think I will need to be careful about not getting jealous of all the woman who will be watching my 'husband'. I am not used to being casual about what belongs to me." Ziva leered at McGee with a smile on her face and was relieved when he laughed.

Ziva decided to steer the conversation back to where they had started. If for all his sacrifice and work she just had to agree to a cake and a wedding dress to keep him happy then she would willingly do it a thousand times over.

"Ok so you can have a cake. But I do not like fruit cake so it will need to be something else."

"That's fine. How about chocolate fudge mud cake? With the marzipan almond wedding icing of course."

"Of course! That sounds perfect." Ziva smiled wondering what on earth the icing had to do with anything.

McGee grinned happily and picking up his blackberry started down his list again.

"So flowers? What do you want?"

Ziva shrugged. "What do you want?"

"You don't care?" McGee looked a bit scandalized

Ziva realized that he did actually want her participation and tried to smooth over his ruffled feathers again.

"It is not that I don't care. It is just that… I think you are better at these sorts of things than I am. So I am asking you what do you think?"

McGee considered "Well now that you have picked the dress rather than the suit I think a bouquet of white oriental lilies would be perfect."

"Not roses?" Ziva teased him

"Not roses Ziva. You are too exotically beautiful for roses and it would look…." McGee faltered, dropped his gaze and flushed.

Ziva pretended not to notice and smoothly continued on "White oriental lilies it is then. What else is on your list? Photographer? Why do we need a photographer? Couldn't Sarah take some pictures?"

McGee after a deep breath had re joined the conversation. "We will need evidence and it will look better to have Sarah in some of the photos. Also it will help if it looks like a real wedding of sorts rather than we simply just did the ceremony in the hope that you could stay. We need to convince anyone who asks that it's a relationship. Oh that reminds me."  
McGee turned and starting flagging down a waiter.

"What are you doing?"

"We should get a picture. For my wallet."

"For your wallet?"

"Ziva tonight is essentially our engagement dinner. If we were a couple I would have a picture of you stashed in my wallet. Besides the more pictures we have of each other at our apartments and just around of different occasions at different locations the easier it's going to be to convince people we have been doing this for a while."

"Oh well that makes sense."

The waiter came over and McGee asked if he could take a picture of the two of them on his phone and then leaned across the table a bit towards Ziva.

"If we are going to do this we should do it properly." With that she stood up and plopped herself in McGee's lap and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him soundly on the cheek.

Click

"Would you mind doing a couple more for us?" Ziva asked the waiter who was smiling at McGee's surprise.

"Sure"

Ziva beamed at the camera from the comfort of McGee's lap and held up her hand, wiggling her fingers to show off her engagement ring.

Click

McGee laughed at Ziva's own delight in posing.

Click

Ziva nibbled McGee's ear while she looked seductively at the camera while McGee squirmed in delighted embarrassment.

Click

(I know I know the wedding. I have already written it. But this chapter I needed to get some background covered which will come up later. Please review and let me know what you think. Oh and Abby coming writing that now)


	5. Chapter 5

Ziva remembered that night. She had had fun teasing McGee. She had the perfect excuse to push the boundaries with him, run her hands through his hair, pinch his butt, and call him Mr David. He still insisted on paying for their meal when they left the restaurant and he opened the car door for her when he took her home. He had later sent some of the photos to her phone. Her favorite one was where he was laughing with her in his lap and her arms around him. He looked so happy. He had a beautiful laugh.

Ziva wished she had her phone with her now so she could look at the picture. He looked so different, there on the bed. He seemed to be covered in wires and machines and he was so pale, except for the dark almost black circles under his eyes.

She had seen it. She had seen him buckle and fall. And she thought her heart would stop. No not him too. Tony had got there first, then Gibbs. She had never run so fast but she still couldn't get there quick enough.

There was already so much blood pooling on the ground. A thought had popped into her head at that moment. It was because his heart was so big. That was why there was so much blood, because his big strong heart didn't know when to stop pushing the blood out.

She had knelt beside him as Gibbs worked on him and Tony called the ambulance. Tim had reached up to her, seeing her for an instant and had touched her face cradling it in her hand before his eyes fluttered shut.

Ziva stood there alone in the hospital room listening to the beep and hum of the machines watching over her husband.

_Flashback_

Tim stood in the corridor of the courthouse and tried to stop himself pacing.

Relax Tim, it's not a real marriage really. Don't be so nervous. You are just going to marry Ziva. Ziva oh my I'm going to marry Ziva! You can't bolt now. This whole thing was your idea! Deep breath. In and out. It's been a big couple of days and your just kind of tired and freaked out……

Sarah watched her big brother pace with that pre exam terror look on his face. She still couldn't believe she was here. Yesterday he had asked her to come over to his place because he wanted to ask her a favor and suddenly she was essentially a bridesmaid. It all seemed so out of character and yet she knew that Tim tended to care deeply for people and for him to go to such extremes didn't seem so crazy in the end.

What seemed crazy to her was that her brother seemed determined not to admit that he had a crush on Ziva. Hello? Obvious to everyone except him apparently. And now he was going to marry her and he seemed not a little distracted. She probably shouldn't have teased him about when she would become an aunty and about how he should make sure his wedding night performance should be up to scratch as Ziva might be displeased and dispatch him like the assassin she was supposed to be. It had seemed very funny to her and to Ziva too apparently but Tim had gone sort of pale.

He did look very smart she must admit in his crisp black suit with waistcoat, ivory silk tie and shiny shoes.

She decided to take pity on him and go and give him a hug before he broke into a sweat.

"Hey there. Nervous?" Sarah gave him a hug and then stepped away watching Tim's eyes dart once again up the corridor where Ziva was getting changed.

Tim tried for bravado "No why would I be nervous? It's just the piece of paper we need anyway. I mean it is just a working arrangement between co workers really"

At that moment Ziva stepped out from the change rooms and started walking down the corridor, smiling at them, her thick dark hair in smooth glossy waves falling over her shoulders.

Tim watched as the material of the dress slid smoothly back and forth over her bare skin following every curve and dip as she walked. The rich ivory color complimented her skin tone and she seemed the image of sensual perfection as she walked alone down the corridor with the arrangement of oriental lilies held lightly in front of her. She even smelt fantastic. Tim's mouth went dry as he realized just how much he could see of her……..

Sarah nudged him "Close your mouth Tim!"

Tim glared at her as she quietly laughed at him. "An arrangement between co workers? Yeah right!"

Tim adjusted his collar again for the thousandth time, smiled at Ziva, held out his arm for her to take and pointedly ignored his sister's smothered laughter.

"Let's do this."

And with that they stepped into the room to become Mr and Mrs McGee.

They had decided to stick to the standard vows and Tim was grateful that they were repeated sentence by sentence for him as he was sure he wouldn't remember them any other way.

The room seemed very hot. And small.

It seemed to go fairly quickly and there was at one stage the quiet sound of sniffing that he suspected must be coming from Sarah. He tried to remember to keep that for ammunition later.

Suddenly it was time to kiss the bride and he froze. He had actively avoided considering this aspect of everything as it provided way too much fuel for his active imagination.

He had to kiss Ziva! On the mouth!

He could see Ziva waiting patiently and knew he had seconds before she decided to take things into her own hands. Suck it up Tim it is just a kiss he berated himself.

He leaned in towards her and she closed the distance and he felt her warm soft lips gently pressing on his. And then they were gone and he opened his eyes. When had he closed them? Ziva was smiling up at him and patting his arm comfortingly. He supposed he must have looked a bit shocked.

Then there were photos and smiling and signing things and more photos and more smiling. Sarah had laughingly thrown some confetti over them that she had smuggled in and Ziva had given her a kiss and thanked her. They had cut into Tim's cake and promptly presented Sarah with half of it so she could take it back with her. Ziva had insisted on a photo with her feeding Tim some cake as that was something she was certain she had seen done at American weddings.

So after some laughter and some crumbs and the rest of the cake left to the celebrant as an apology for the slight mess Mr Timothy McGee escorted his new wife Mrs Ziva David McGee out to spend the night in the honeymoon suite at the Plaza.

Tim squirmed trying to get comfortable as he lay under the covers on the far side of the bed in his shorts and t shirt. Ziva seemed be delighting in getting ready for bed in the tiniest negligee he had ever seen. It wasn't even a negligee, it was what a negligee would be before it grew up.

He tried not to look but he just kept peeking and then she would catch him and that made it worse because she would smile at him and he would squirm and she would slowly turn and walk off knowing he was watching her.

She had already insisted that McGee should sleep in the same bed as her. As she had pointed out to his doubtful look the massive king size bed could easily fit several people in let alone just the two of them.

She had already got herself a drink from the mini bar, sat on the bed and slowly brushed her hair, searched through her luggage for her hand cream, placed her lilies in water, hung up her outfit for the morning so it wouldn't get too creased and was now very slowly wandering around brushing her teeth.

He was sure she was doing it on purpose but what should he do? Threaten her that if she didn't get into bed right now he would……. what? Spank her? Chase her around the room? Handcuff her? None of these options were helping his predicament and he not for the first time wondered what he had been thinking when he came up with this scheme.

Tim lay back, settled into the soft pillows and looked at the ceiling. Well essentially it was now done. They could try and get on with their lives and hopefully it would all work out. It had been a very busy few days between dropping clothes and assorted knick knacks off at each others apartments, buying photos frames, picking up new shoes, going through creating the history of their relationship and so many things.

_Umm these pillows are comfortable._

And there would be a new challenge soon. What would they think of him at the Cyber Crime Unit? Would his skills be up to scratch? He had become accustomed to being a field agent. Would they do things differently over there? Gibbs seemed to do things differently to everyone but he had gotten used to it.

_This mattress is very comfortable ummmm and the sheets are soft and thick and snuggly._

Ziva was missing out really prancing around in the cold bathroom. Was she prancing for him? Or more to amuse herself?

Had he really heard Sarah crying today at the ceremony?

_Warm._

Should he tell Ziva about Leah?

Ziva flashed her bare leg and smoothly dragged it up the doorframe knowing that McGee's eyes would be bugging out about now as to what she might do to him. Poor thing, it really was too cute the way he was attracted to her. She shouldn't really tease him but it was just too easy and he would never do anything to pursue it. He was too much of a gentleman and valued their friendship to much to ruin it with casual sex.

She supposed she should start trying to call him Tim now that he was her husband, rather than McGee.

Ziva seductively swayed out of the bathroom ready to crawl enticingly across the entire bed into her allocated spot for one last piece of Probie torture when she stopped dead in her tracks.

So much for her supposed allure.

There Tim was snuggled up on the far side of the bed fast asleep. A very deep completely out of it sort of sleep. Ziva smiled, poor thing. He really was adorable even when he was asleep.

Ziva hopped into the bed with a tired sigh and switched off the light. So much for their first night as husband and wife.

She was Mrs Ziva David McGee.

She fell asleep trying not to think about the 12 missed calls from Tony she had received and not answered over the past few days.

(So what do you think? If you want some Ziva sex I wrote Release and its up in the M section of . Next chapter back to the hospital and the fall out. Oh and please review and let me know what you liked, didn't like or would like. Precious. And thanks to those again who are reviewing it does help me keep writing five stories at once!)


	6. Chapter 6

Abby watched as Ziva stood up and left without a backwards glance and felt the world as she knew it tilt precisely 60 degrees to the right.

Nononononononononononononononononononononono

She grabbed at Gibbs, her eyes wide. "It's not true is it? She just said that so she could see him? Didn't she? Why didn't I think of that? That's all it is. Cause he would have told me. I mean Ziva was able to stay with the team because she made a complaint to… to somebody ….. at the embassy or somewhere……and her visa was extended. Wasn't she Gibbs?"

Gibbs just looked at her a little sadly and she watched the realization in his own eyes as the little pieces of the last few months began to fit together. Gibbs sighed and pulled her close and Abby clutched at his jacket, the stress and anxiety of the last few hours threatening to overwhelm her.

Abby felt her eyes fill with tears and she shook them away fiercely "No it would be just to save Ziva. Otherwise he wouldn't have agreed to go out with me. He just wanted to keep the team together. He would have agreed to save Ziva. McGee would run out onto the road in front of a car to save a kitten. Stupid McGee. And he's even allergic to cats! Stupid stupid Timothy." Abby sniffed and wiped her tears, her face pale as she looked up at Gibbs.

Gibbs just held her and let her talk it out knowing the words would come rushing out anyway. They all needed a minute to make sense of the situation. As Abby looked at Gibbs with his comforting silence, she felt the words surging up again, threatening to choke her and they came bubbling out trying to reconstruct the world into Abby logic once again.

"Oh Gibbs when he was gone I missed him so much! He was always around, you know? Even when he was annoying me I could always count on him being there. I didn't realize how much I kind of counted on him being there for me, whenever I needed him. And then for a moment when I heard the gun I thought I had lost him for good. And all I could think of were all the things I hadn't got around to telling him and now it was too late." Abby took a deep breath and smeared her mascara stained cheeks further as she wiped them with the back of her hands.

"This is….. weird but its ok…… he's still McGee you know? Even if he is married to Ziva. I mean none of us even noticed so it's going to be fine and we will work it out when he wakes up. He just wouldn't have wanted me to freak out. That's why he didn't tell me straight away. He hates it when I get upset you know? It makes him all anxious and jumpy. "

She tried for a tremulous smile and slowly released Gibbs jacket lapels, sitting up and taking a deep breath.

"They didn't even invite me to the wedding Gibbs. I could have been Ziva's bridesmaid!"

Gibbs smiled at Abby's generous heart and wiped away a tear with his thumb as he considered just how blown apart Rule Twelve would be with one team member married to another and said groom dating another team member simultaneously.

"Still when he wakes up, I am going to kill him. Bullet wound or no bullet wound!"

Tony got up, sat down, got up, walked down, walked up and then sat down again.

_Mrs_ Ziva David _McGee_?

Probie had married Ziva? When the hell had that happened? Had he just not been paying enough attention? Hello? How could he not notice something like that? Admittedly it had been a tough few months for everyone with Gibbs scrambling and maneuvering to bring the team back together again. But shouldn't he have known?

Shouldn't he have seen MARRIED stamped on McGee's head or something?

A girl couldn't smile at McGee without him telegraphing it out for the world to see for the next four hours. Tony had always figured McGee would end up being married. He was just that sort of guy. He wanted to settle down with someone nice and make kissy faces over the breakfast table to them. At some stage there were definitely PTA meetings and Leggo blocks and Playdoh in McGee's future.

But Ziva?? Mossad assassin, kill someone with a paper clip, has difficulty expressing emotions Ziva David?? There was one woman in the world Tony had never seen ending up with McGee.

A thousand thoughts tumbled through his head and suddenly screeched to a halt on one.

Had McGee and Ziva slept together?

It seemed probable given the characters of the persons involved that the marriage was entirely to ensure that Ziva stayed in the country but that meant that McGee and Ziva had been Husband and Wife _for months_.

Surely the opportunity must have come up for them to….. to…. Bow Chika Wow Wow?

McGee and Ziva?

Tony couldn't even conceive of it. A kiss? They must have kissed at least once, it's in the whole ceremony thing. Blah blah blah you may now kiss the bride or something like that. Can you skip that part and still make it legal? Gibbs would know.

Holy Toledo Batman. McGee and Ziva went and got married! What did they do? Did they run off to Vegas for a cheapy Elvis wedding? At the Chapel O Love? Was McGee Ziva's little Teddy Bear? Or possibly sad eyed Hound Dog? Now there was an image he never thought he would be considering. Probie and blue suede shoes. Tony shivered.

Why didn't Probie tell him? I mean he must have been freaking! Admittedly he was quite possibly already out on the Ship when all this was going down but still. They were partners and buddy's and you didn't just go and get married on the sly without telling your best bud.

Who threw McGee his buck's party? Bucks parties were _his_ department. McGee probably had some non event with some of his online gaming buddies that resulted in the raid of a non existent castle with not a stripper or a lap dance or a flaming bottle of booze in site!

Tony's mind scrambled back over the few weeks since he had been removed off agent afloat duty and returned back to Washington. He had flirted with Ziva, but then he always did. And she had watched him with her dark beautiful eyes, like she always did. In fact he had been enjoying the operation, thinking how good it was to have everyone together and people that he trusted at his back. There was a sense of familiarity and assurance that everything was going to be alright.

That was until he heard a shout and saw McGee go down, his big eyes huge with pain and surprise.

McGee was a good agent and he knew what he was doing. It had been a long time since Tony had really considered him as an inexperienced Probie agent, not that he had ever told him that. But there was a part of Tony that always felt like he had to look out for him, to make sure that he was ok.

He knew McGee looked up to him and respected his abilities, not that he had ever told him that either. He didn't have to. They both knew where they stood. And that was part of what made them such a close team and ultimately good friends.

When he heard the shot he knew from the twisting in his guts what it meant and he had been off and running the same instant. They had been spread out covering the various exits out of the building and even though Tony was the closest it still seemed to take millennia to get to McGee and his blood was already starting to pool on the tarmac.

Suddenly Gibbs was there and the orders were flying. He had called the ambulance and watched Ziva fly across towards them from the far side of the yard, her eyes determined.

He didn't know if McGee getting shot or Ziva's quiet words of a minute ago had had more affect on him. Both times the world as he knew it had changed in a split second.

Which situation would have the more lingering effect?

It seemed so obvious now. Ziva had sort of glossed over aspects of how she had been able to stay. He hadn't pressed her, privately considering she had used her considerable contacts to push some political buttons to ensure she was able to stay.

He had been wallowing in his considerable personal despair at the time, blaming his own actions not only for Jenny's death but for the dissolution of the team. He was supposed to protect the Director of the Agency, instead she was gunned down in some lonely Diner in the desert. He remembered desperately trying to think of anything he could do to turn back time, to make things right. Crazy scheme after ridiculous scenario he considered, lying awake staring at his ceiling, gut churning.

Why not even once did he consider marrying Ziva?

Leah Jackson turned and suddenly took in the half a dozen people sitting behind her staring. She berated herself for her carelessness. Of course his people would be here before her. Scuttlebutt was fast in the services but not that fast. She smiled and moved towards Ziva's recently vacated chair, next to …….. what was her name? Abby. That's right. She was exactly as Tim described her, well a little more tear streaked and rumpled but that was to be expected.

She felt Gibbs eyes on her and heard the warning they held. She wouldn't harm anymore of his charges. She felt like she knew them all even though they had never met. They made up such a big part of Tim's life.

Well there was no point hiding now. Not that she ever hid, it was just that Tim was such a private person.

"Hello you must be Abby. Tim has told me all about you. I'm Leah."

(Alright next chapter is Ziva at McGees bedside. Hope its still holding your interest? Thanks for the support and reviews. Will try and keep updating fairly quickly)


	7. Chapter 7

Ziva stood by McGee's bedside and slipped her small warm hand into his cool larger one.

Soon he would wake and her place would be taken by Abby. Taken by the woman he loved, had always loved. The beautiful, intelligent, extraordinary woman Timothy McGee had held a torch for for over four years.

But for now this spot was hers and hers alone. And here in the quite and austere hospital room Ziva David McGee could confess one thing to herself.

She was in love with her husband.

She wasn't sure exactly when she started to fall for him but the instant she knew for sure was when he cupped her cheek with his bloodied hand and looked up at her before his eyes closed and he passed out. When he held her glance for that instant, his blood warm on her face she had felt such overwhelming joy, such relief that he still lived that her heart felt like it was going to leap out of her chest. She wanted to shout her joy to the world as she knelt on the rough asphalt, unshed tears starting to blur her vision.

And an instant later as his eyes closed she felt such terror at being left alone, she was bereft. The emotional overload of extremes had left her unpracticed heart numb, a feeling which had carried through to the ambulance arriving, the mad dash to the hospital and the agonizing wait in the emergency room.

She couldn't bring herself to say anything to the others. To simply sit there and not babble the truth of what she had just learnt about herself was enough. To explain everything they had done, facing them all alone, answering all their questions was impossible when the shock of the ache of her own heart was enough she had to jam her fingers between her knees to stop herself shaking. And so she had sat there. Pale faced. Silent.

Would she be a Widower before they even knew she was a Bride?

When the other woman had come she hadn't heard what she said. Ziva only heard the nurse call her name and in that instant she had to see him. See that he was going to be alright. To see him and confirm for herself that she loved Timothy McGee.

Ziva felt the tears slip down her face unseen as she watched his chest move up and down, under the bandages and sensors. So precious. She wanted to crawl into bed with him and stretch out next to him, warming him with her body as he had done to her a dozen times over the last few months.

She smiled as she remembered the first time. Ziva had woken on the first morning after becoming Tim's wife to find him wrapped around her. Somewhere in the exhausted night they had covered the distance they had set themselves in the huge bed only to end up snuggled up together in the middle of the bed.

She had woken to a sense of great peace and warmth and of being cared for. It was such a rare feeling she had simply allowed it to wash over her. Suddenly she realized why she felt so different and so warm. Timothy was laying along the length of her back, spooning into her, his legs drawn up underneath hers and she could feel his soft breath on her neck. His arm was across her hip in a loose embrace and he was still soundly asleep.

Ziva knew he would wake embarrassed and considered trying to slip out from under his arm and move silently back to her side of the bed. The gentle rhythmic breathing in her ear soothed her. She would stay just for a moment longer and then she would move over onto her cold side of the bed.

Ziva feel asleep in her husband's arms.

It was still early when Ziva felt Tim wake. She could feel the sleepy smile against her neck and then the sudden small jerk of his body as he became fully conscious. He stilled and his breathing deepened for an instant and then he forced it to be quieter, breathing lightly through his nose, tickling her neck. She smiled to herself as she could feel the realization and decision telegraph itself minutely through the body covering hers. He painfully, slowly removed his arm and rolled over and away from her, back onto his side of the bed.

Ziva remained 'asleep' her back turned to him and allowed him the privacy to think he had escaped the embarrassing situation. After some time she felt his breathing relax again and he fell back asleep watching her.

In keeping up appearances as husband and wife over the months there had been a dozen times when they had shared the others bed. Each time no matter how large the bed or how many layers of clothes Tim wore Ziva always awoke to find him wrapped around her. Once she woke to find him draped almost completely over her, pinning her to the mattress. He had snuggled his head into her shoulder and she could feel his breath and warm lips on the side of her face. Each time she allowed him to wake up 'first' and carefully remove himself from her person. She didn't really know if he knew that she did that but it seemed the most comfortable way to address the situation.

Timothy McGee was just naturally a snuggler and there didn't seem to be anyway to prevent the situation. Even once when she had laughingly placed pillows down the center of the bed between them when she woke up they were simply on the floor and Tim was once again wrapped around her.

She could have simply told him but then he would have refused to share a bed with her again and that was ridiculous. Besides she secretly never minded the simple comfort of being held by a trusted friend.

She had noticed lately that when she woke up in bed at her apartment, instead of feeling comfortable and relaxed she simply felt alone.

Ziva hadn't really considered when she had started to look forward to waking up in Tim arms. She hadn't wanted to consider that as it indicated thought should be given to other aspects of their relationship. And she couldn't do that. They were friends and would hopefully become team mates again one day. Eventually when it was practicable they would get a legal divorce.

Even when it looked like Tim would be returned to the team and he had come to her and told her that Abby had asked him out on a date again she had been happy for him. She had _encouraged_ him. He had been anxious wondering if she really wanted to resume a relationship and had wanted Ziva to know. He had assured her that for now Abby was again insisting that he shouldn't consider it exclusive. Abby didn't want him to get 'too involved, too quickly' in case it didn't work.

Only two days earlier they had discussed that it was probably time to tell the team about their marriage. They were all back together again and if Tim was going to date Abby they all deserved to know. They hadn't decided on when it would be a good time to have this discussion and now it didn't matter. They all knew and they were all waiting for her outside with what she was sure would be a thousand questions.

And so for now she would stay here, in seclusion holding the hand of the man she loved keeping the reality at bay for another hour.

Because now she couldn't deny it. She was in love with her husband… who was in love with another woman.

(So what do you think. Poor Ziva. Poor Tony. Poor Tim. Poor Abby really too... so much to do with this story and where does the Mistress come in?? Let me know what you think)


	8. Chapter 8

Ziva took a deep breath and wiped her tears. She would go now, take action and continue a new charade. That she was in a loveless marriage of convenience to a friend.

She would not wait until she was asked to go or wait until the others were allowed to join her in Tim's room. She did not want to wake Tim from his precious slumber to some accusing confrontation. No she was stronger than that.

Ziva leaned over and gently kissed Tim's pale cheek, closing her eyes and simply resting there for a moment. His sweet gentle breath on her sensitive neck was enough to threaten tears again so she straightened and firmly locked her heart away. This was going to be hard enough as it was without considering what could have been between them.

She owed it to him to be free to find his own happiness with Abby. And with that thought she stepped out of Tim's room.

Abby couldn't help but stare at this attractive woman who had just boldly taken Ziva's place and seemed to know all about her.

"Well he hasn't told me anything about you."

"Ahh yes well Tim always is a pretty private person." Leah smiled and made herself comfortable on the chair

Abby felt her frustration starting to boil over as this stranger continued to imply she knew McGee better than her. No one knew McGee better than her. She had spent hundreds of hours in his company and had shared some of the most difficult experiences of his life. McGee belonged to her in a way that went beyond teammates and even friends.

"Well I'm his girlfriend so who the hell are you?"

"Oh so you've decided to date him exclusively have you?" Again Leah continued to smile, mildly curious but not offended.

Abby was taken aback. For McGee to be sharing this sort of personal information about her choices with this woman seemed an affront.

"Well I…… I've just decided. We haven't had a chance to speak about it yet. You know what with him being SHOT." Abby threw this in there, knowing she was being a bit childish but wanting to get some sort of reaction out of this seemingly unflappable woman.

"Ahh so he hasn't agreed yet then. In fact he doesn't even know?"

"Well no. Not yet. But as soon as he wakes up he will. Look do you mind telling me who the hell are you?"

Leah smiled at Abby as she fiercely bristled. Timothy for all his gentle nature liked a bit of fire in his woman and she could she why he was so attracted to this woman.

"Well as you probably heard I'm Timothy's … well for want of a better word since he is married… his mistress. We have an arrangement. I believe you would call it friends with benefits? We have been seeing each other casually for eight months on and off. I believe if anyone is to be offended it should be me. I actually pre date both you and Timothy's arrangement with his wife. I believe that was the woman who was here earlier? Ziva? Tim showed me a picture of her when they first married. Very attractive."

Abby continued to stare at Leah. "McGee told you that he and Ziva got married?"

Leah shrugged "Consider me a neutral sounding board. I didn't know Ziva personally or the politics involved. Tim wanted me to know the situation so I didn't think he was really cheating on his wife. Actually I believe they were going to tell you all about the marriage in the next couple of days because…. Well Tim didn't feel comfortable with you in particular not knowing."

Abby sat stunned as yet another wave of information re ordered her Abby world. A world where McGee confided not in her but in another woman. A world were McGee kept secrets from her. A world where not only was McGee married to a friend but was seeing someone casually that she didn't know about.

"McGee told you that we had started dating again?"

"Oh yes Of course. He's very honest about this sort of thing as you know. He was very excited by the prospect. He ended our arrangement, I suppose you would call it as soon as you asked him out. I was disappointed as while we may not be serious I do care for Timothy. He is a good man but we discovered early on when we first started dating that we aren't suitable serious partner material for the other. You can imagine my surprise when after your first date Timothy turned up at my door, slightly confused and even a little distraught."

"He went to you after our date?" Abby was appalled and fascinated at the same time.

"Well what did you expect? He has had a thing for you for years and then out of the blue you ask him out? You broke his heart the first time around and then suddenly you want him but at the end of a great date you insist that it not exclusive? You tell a man who cares for you that you are going to continue to see other men? Who did you expect him to confide in? DiNozzo over there? A man who as far as I can tell has the relationship experience of a pre teen?

Tim didn't know what to think or where he stood and he needed someone to talk to. So he came to see me as he knew I would be honest and wouldn't sugar coat anything. Since you were the one who insisted on not being exclusive you can hardly be angry at him."

To hear the bald facts of her relationship with Tim described like this shocked Abby. To have this woman, this stranger state quite factually that she had broken Tim's heart the first time around and that she had already caused him pain simply starting it up again, made her feel terrible. She didn't like the way it made her sound. Thoughtless, irresponsible. She hadn't meant any of it like that. She loved him. She had only been trying to make sure he didn't get hurt again. Abby felt the tears already so close to the surface welling up again wet and hot.

Leah could see the other members of the team badly attempting to look disinterested in the conversation going on. She should go. This wasn't her place to tell them all this. This was Tim's life she was messing with, even if she thought it needed to be said.

"I didn't mean for this to become some waiting room confession but I think you need to know what's been going on. And you need to know before you go into his room and tell him whatever you want to tell him."

Abby frowned "What are you talking about?"

Leah sighed, dropped her voice and turning slightly reached out and held Abby's hand.

"Look he cares for you a great deal and has for some time. He has a gentle heart and loves easily. It also means he is hurt easily too. I'm sure as soon as you tell him that you want to be exclusive and be each others One and Only, Timothy and I will politely wish each other well and never see each other again."

Leah looked up into Abby's eyes her voice firming "But if you are only telling him that because you were scared of loosing him completely and you break his heart again? Then you are not the women Timothy has told me you are."

Abby turned away from Leah and stared at the blank white wall across from her, the threatened tears now starting to trickle down her cheeks. The truth of what this woman was saying hit her hard and she felt Gibbs on the other side of her shift subtly even further away trying to give her some privacy of sorts without abandoning her by walking away.

She loved McGee as a friend and a good person. She had always known that. And she loved him more than that. She knew that when her heart tore itself into pieces as she screamed his name into the silence of her lab. Begging him to get up and come to her and hold her and tell her everything would be alright.

But did she love him enough? Was it a selfish love wanting him to be there for her without allowing him what he needed? Did she love him enough to not try and change him? Did she love him to give him all that he wanted? Children? An equal partnership?

Part of her had been scared of that before which is why she insisted on still being non exclusive. Not to protect her but to protect him. She hadn't meant to hurt him. She never did. And yet she had often hurt him over the years.

Many things had changed over the years since they had first starting seeing each other. McGee in particular was a different person. He was more confident in his abilities, he stood his ground more and was willing to trust his own judgment. And yet the fundamentals were the same. He was still a gentle soul who didn't just love with reservation, he adored whole heartedly, even when it cost him. He still saw the world as ultimately a good place where people strived to be good and true. Even when faced with case after case which showed him differently.

Leah could see what she had said had hit home.

"I should go. I just wanted to make sure he was ok. There are enough people here who care for him. Just tell him that I was here and I will come back later to see him. I'm sorry about all this….. but I thought you should know."

Abby opened her mouth to say something cutting and hurtful to balance out the pain she felt. Instead she looked up at this woman, who a moment ago was a stranger and now in some way seemed a friend.

"Thank you"

Leah smiled "Just be sure. He deserves to be loved."


	9. Chapter 9

Tim ran his heart pounding. He was too far! He would never make it. He knew Ziva was headed towards that side of the building. He had looked up and saw the sniper on the roof. All he could see in that split second was Kate lying so cold and lifeless on that slab. He saw the man turn away from him tracking the distant figure on the ground.

No! Ziva so warm and full of life. He saw her laughing at him, a wooden spoon in her hand as she scolded him out of her kitchen, flour smeared down one cheek.

Tony! Tony please! He was behind the edge of the building and out of his line of sight although he was closer to her.

No! Tim screamed a warning as the powerful rifle was lifted and aimed. The muscles of his body straining and heart pounding as he tried to close the distance towards her. Suddenly at his distant cry the black rifle and scope turned swiftly in his direction.

He heard a sharp crack and suddenly he was lifted off his feet only to slam down on the ground. He couldn't breathe! He …. Couldn't……. Breathe!

Panic started to grip him as he struggled to breathe from the dual impact. All he could see was clear blue sky. How had he ended up on the ground? Tony would laugh if he had tripped again. It was so pretty. The sky was just that blue when they had had that picnic in the park that Sunday morning.

Pain suddenly cleared his foggy brain in a flash and an involuntary scream was ripped from his throat as his body spasmed and twisted trying to register exactly where the pain was centered. Everywhere. He hurt everywhere. His heart was racing and he couldn't think properly and he couldn't breathe and he felt lots of hot liquid pouring down his side. Sweat. Why was he sweating so much? He felt cold not hot.

Ziva! Was she alright? He had to try and help. He tried to roll to his side but his muscles wouldn't co operate. Suddenly there was the sound of pounding feet and Tony was above him, saying something, too quickly, panicked. What had happened? He was tearing his jacket off and holding it too his side. Tim screamed again as the action renewed the sensors telling him something was seriously wrong.

Gibbs was there, kneeling at his side and he could feel his hands on him. He would be alright now Gibbs was there. He would make the pain stop. Where was Ziva? Was she ok. They should go and help her. She was strong and would refuse help if she thought someone else needed it. But sometimes she needed help too, you just had to insist. She was stubborn like that. He wished he was as strong as she was sometimes and as brave.

Suddenly there she was looking over him, panting hard from her race across the open ground. Her thick dark hair had gotten loose from the ponytail she wore it in when she went on operations and fell about her face. He liked it when she wore it down. It was so beautiful and he had often wanted to run his fingers through it. Ziva looked like an angel with the bright sun and blue sky framing her beautiful face and glowing ebony hair. She looked happy and sort of mad at him at the same time, just like she did when she was chasing him out of the kitchen. Tim reached up to wipe away the flour on her cheek with his hand. Why was it so heavy?

It was too noisy, Tony was talking quickly into his phone and Gibbs was telling him to stay awake and Ziva looked like she was crying. Why was Gibbs telling him to stay awake? He wasn't going to sleep. He was on duty.

Tim closed his eyes just for a moment.

Ziva walked down the hallway, silently chanting the mantra she used when walking into difficult situations.

She was iron, she was ice, she was stone.  
She was iron, she was ice, she was stone  
She was iron, she was ice, she was stone

They all turned and looked at her and she did exactly what she didn't want to do. She smiled.

"He is ok and you will all be able to see him soon."

Several voices suddenly started up with the questions as she knew they would. Ziva raised her hands and facing them, started talking quietly.

"Please, please. I can't answer you all at once" She held firm until the questions died out. Only Gibbs watched her silent, his eyes appraising her. Could he tell the lie?

"First off, yes McGee and I did get married in order for me to stay in the country. He came to see me with what seemed like the only possible solution at a difficult time. Obviously I must ask for your discression regarding this information otherwise all that we have done over the last few months will be undone and I will have to leave the country. I know we have much to explain and we did not mean any harm to come to anyone because of our actions." At this she looked at Abby's tear stained face and kneeling down beside her held her pale hand in her darker one.

"Please understand we did not mean to hurt anyone. We were going to tell you, we just couldn't figure out how." Ziva stood and with a look halted the wise crack on Tony's lips.

"I will explain it all when I get back." Ziva's eyes flicked to the door of the hospital and back. Soon she would be free.

"Get back? Where are you going? You aren't leaving are you?"

It seemed wrong that they wouldn't all be together when McGee woke up from the surgery. It was as if she were abandoning him, even though she knew Ziva wasn't.

Ziva smiled. "I need to go attend to Jethro before he tears up the apartment and get McGee some clothes and toiletries as he will be here for a little while I am sure."

Abby sniffed as she considered the practicalities of this and tried to smile to assure Ziva that she held no ill will towards her.

"You will need to go back to NCIS first. His wallet and keys and stuff are back there."

Ziva smiled quietly and a little sadly. "It is alright Abby. I have my own key to McGee's apartment. I will use that. I will be back as soon as I can."

There didn't seem to be anything to say to that statement and Ziva turned and started to walk out.

"Hey Ziva! Need a lift?" Tony stopped her several steps down the hallway.

"Yes thank you Tony. That would be most helpful." The two partners turned and continued their walk out of the hospital together.

Abby looked up at Gibbs again "She has her own key?"

(Thanks for all the reviews and feedback. I wanted to show some stuff from Tims perspective. I will try and have another chapter soon but i should work on my other stories too! Please let me know what you think with were this is heading )


	10. Chapter 10

It was dark. Why was it dark? Something was wrong. He didn't feel right. He felt terrible. Muzzy and thirsty and exhausted as if he had cried himself to sleep.

Ziva!

Had she been shot? No he had seen her. Had he or was he just dreaming? Was he now lying on his bed at home in his apartment in shock over another death? Was that why his chest hurt and felt so tight?

His thoughts seem to dart and disappear like silver fish in a rippling pond as he reached for them trying to make sense of his world.

No! She was all right. She had leaned over him with her fall of dark hair and he had smelt her shampoo. She had looked like an angel with bright light all around her. An angel trying to say something to him, crying.

No Ziva, don't be dead! Tim didn't want to open his eyes if it meant facing such a truth as he slowly, painfully regained consciousness.

No Ziva! Run!

He's above you!

I'm coming!

"Something's wrong! " Abby stood beside McGee's bed and watched as his heart rate monitor which had been consistently beeping away suddenly leaped, increased its rate and became irregular.

Abby felt the panic again she had experienced when she had first walked into the room and saw him lying there so pale and still. She hadn't realized just how alive and vibrant he was normally until that instant. How mobile his face usually was and full of quirky smiles and frowns and puzzlements.

He just looked wrong as if all his bright McGeeness had been sucked out of him by the awful machines he was attached to.

Suddenly McGee gasped in a deep breath and flashed opened his bright eyes.

"Ziva!"

A nurse hurried in responding to the machines call and started speaking to him gently but firmly while holding his shoulder.

"Agent McGee? You were shot and you are in Bethesda Navel Hospital. You are going to be fine. You have come out of surgery but I need for you to calm down. Take a deep breath…. Yes that's right in and out. Lay back down and relax that's right"

She continued talking as McGee's eyes darted around the room searching for something. Gibbs suddenly realized and stepped in close to the bed so McGee could see him.

"Ziva's fine McGee. She's gone to check on Jethro and she will be back soon."

McGee's voice rasped again through the mask over his face.

"Sniper"

Gibbs smiled "Yes we know. The other team took him out when they heard your shout. I'd say we were all lucky you were with us today McGee."

Gibbs gently squeezed his shoulder "It's good to have you back McGee"

Gibbs felt awash in gratitude that he hadn't pulled McGee away from Cyber Crimes only to die painfully from a shot in the chest. He never wanted to loose a team member again or have to call another family to inform them that their loved one had died under his care.

And this time it would have been his fault.

McGee simply nodded, his eyes already calming with the alarm of the last few minutes slipping away. He turned his head and smiled at the woman who was desperately trying not to lunge at him and wrap him in a hug and instead was painfully wringing his hand.

"Abby" His familiar voice was soft and gravelly as if he wasn't sure how to use it anymore.

Abby who had been convinced that she had actually become incapable of anymore crying after the last few hours promptly burst into tears as she stared into his big green eyes which now seemed huge and brilliant over the macabre oxygen mask.

So close. She had come so close to loosing him for good. What could she possibly say?

"Don't you EVER scare me like that again, you hear me Timmy!" Abby choked through her tears trying to sound angry but only succeeding in showing her relief.

Ducky and Palmer all leaned in to reassure with their presence while Abby sniffed for what felt like the thousandth time and patted McGee's arm reassuringly. She couldn't seem to stop touching him, wanting to make sure that he still felt warm under her fingertips. He was hers again. How dare he go and get himself hurt? She hadn't given him permission to do that. Even if he was trying to be brave.

"Don't worry Tony's going to be here too. Any minute. He was really worried about you. Not that he will tell you that. He went with Ziva but they'll be back soon. And when you are up for it I think we are all going to be having a big chat about a certain Special Agent marrying a certain Liaison Officer?"

Tim nodded silently as a tiny unspoken unimagined hope slipped away. Ziva was _always_ with Tony. Tony would look after her. They were partners.

Ziva needed someone strong and brave to look after her. Someone like Tony.

Tim gently returned some of Abby's grip on his hand and she beamed that bright smile that had once meant the world to him.

The tears had turned her mascara clad eyes into a sort of smeared supernova of grief.

When it really counted Abby was always there for him.

She loved him.

Tim felt himself surrendering in exhaustion to the gentle darkness with the warm touch of her hand in his and the scent of gun powder and roses in the air.


	11. Chapter 11

Tony sat as Ziva puttered around in McGeek's apartment gathering up his toothbrush and change of clothes, a book, his laptop and numerous other bits and pieces. The first thing he saw, well it was the second as Jethro's excited form begging to be taken for as Ziva called it 'a tinkle' had been the first, was the photo of McGee and Ziva on what was clearly their wedding day.

Tony stroked Jethro's ears while he held the photo in his hands and stared at his two familiar friends suddenly looking very unfamiliar. Ziva had her arms around McGee and they both had bits of confetti in their hair. They were smiling at the camera and looking very pleased with themselves.

It obviously wasn't a quickie Vegas wedding then. Ziva looked stunning in the sexiest wedding dress Tony had ever seen while McGee looked very dapper and polished, his head bent to the side and resting on top of Ziva's. They seemed to be standing in front of a wedding cake and other than there being no guests in the background it was a typical wedding photo.

Tony knew given the situation that he shouldn't be surprised but seeing Ziva so familiar with McGee's apartment was strange. Seeing her rifling through his immaculate underwear drawer for example and picking out several pairs seemed … well disturbing. It was what they were there for but still.

Soon Ziva was done and they were ready to return. Or so Tony thought. Ziva placed McGee's bag by the door and then returned to the bedroom and shut the door. Suddenly Tony heard the shower running. Ziva was stripped naked and having a shower. In McGee's shower? A few minutes later Ziva stuck her head around the door toweling off her hair and wearing a clean pair of pants and a fresh shirt.

Tony blinked in surprise and Ziva just pulled a face at him

"I knew it wouldn't take long and I might be at the hospital for a while so I thought I would take the opportunity to shower and change. And yes I do keep clothes at McGee's house. And yes he has clothes at mine. We are supposed to be married, Tony remember?"

Tony could smell Ziva's freshly washed hair. Not only did she keep clothes at McGoos place but obviously shampoo and toiletries as well

Ziva's voice continued from under the towel "In fact he is legally living at my place as it's much bigger and he kept the apartment as a retreat to do his writing. Or that's what we said. This place isn't much bigger than a study anyway."

"Alright I'm presentable again. Lets go" Ziva saw Tony cradling the large wedding photo in his hands and smiled. She reached over onto Tim's workbench and pulled out a large leather bound photo album and handed it to him instead.

"Bring that. It might help explain. They say a picture is worth a thousand words."

Ziva picked up Tim's bag and with another pat of Jethro they headed out the door.

Ziva wondered if Tony had heard her crying in the shower while she tried to scrub Tim's blood from her face.

Gibbs and Abby were still at the hospital when they returned. McGee had apparently woken briefly but was now asleep again.

Ziva hugged Abby before she stashed Tim's belongings and found herself a chair in the corner.

Tony pulled up a chair besides McGee's bed. Now that the immediate danger was over he felt his sense of humor returning. He reached over and gently tapped McGee's forehead.

"Yeah well I would pretend to be asleep too if I had to wake up and explain to my girlfriend that I got married AND I had a mistress. Man Cyber Crimes must have been so boring. They obviously didn't keep him busy enough" Tony laughed while Ziva froze in the corner of the room

Abby laughed too and then stopped when she saw Ziva's face. "You didn't know?"

"Know what? What are you all talking about?"

Abby felt a small measure of relief that it appeared she wasn't the only one that McGee had been keeping secrets from. This was quickly followed by regret that she was even having this conversation. She wanted to pick McGee up and rattle him hard until all the secrets fell out, bouncing, scattering sharp edged and painful on the floor.

Tony looked almost gleeful at the idea that he had some information that Ziva didn't know.

"The woman who came in before? Attractive, moneyed, bit older than McGee? Dropped the bombshell that he was married just before you got up and left? Ring any bells?"

Ziva just shook her head "I wasn't listening to her. I only heard the nurse. What did she say?"

Abby smiled kindly remembering her own surprise. "She's really nice. I think anyway. Her name Leah…… Leah somebody I don't think I got her last name. She and McGee have apparently been seeing each other on and off for eight months. She knew about you AND me apparently. McGee showed her a picture of you when you guys got married?"

Ziva sat in shock. They had shared so much but apparently not everything. Suddenly the time frame popped into her head. Eight months? But that meant when Tim came to see her and asked her to marry him he was already … sort of seeing someone?

Abby watched Ziva's face. "I know it's a shock isn't it? She seems pretty cool with it all and she said they realized that they weren't suited as a committed couple early on but still McGee doing the casual thing? Never would have picked it."

Ziva just looked back at them. "I mean Tim and I weren't ... you know but I figured he would have told me if he was seeing someone else."

Tony laughed 'Hah well serves you right. Now you know how we felt when we figured out that you and McGee got MARRIED without telling us. Oh loyal partner of mine. Still haven't forgiven you for that by the way." Tony gave Ziva one of his I'm going to speak to you later looks before continuing.

"Anyway McGee's only just started seeing Abbtastic over there and you and McGee haven't been doing the horizontal mambo so he had to be getting a little sumpting, sumpting somewhere all these months surely?"

Abby punched Tony in the arm "That is just so inappropriate. He's lying here recovering from surgery. Don't talk about his sex life like that."

Tony pulled a face at Abby while Gibbs smirked from his corner of the room, happy to see his team together and safe once more.

"So come on Ziva spill!" Abby turned to Ziva and enthusiastically clapped her hands.

"Spill what?" Ziva looked a bit puzzled as she looked around the room for something to spill.

"Ziva! Come on. So how did he ask you to marry him? Where did you get married? Ohh what did you wear? Who else knew about it? Come give me all the sordid details, I'm dying to know!"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Abby it's was a fake wedding. It's not like he got down on bended knee or anything"

Ziva smiled gently "Actually Tony he did. And he presented me with this." Ziva reached into her shirt and pulled out her Star of David pendant and chain. She unclasped it at the neck and pulled the chain out, freeing her engagement ring and a matching wedding band. She happily slipped the diamond solitaire over her finger again, nestling the band next to it and flashed it at Tony.

"Ohhhhh Ziva it's beautiful" Abby reached for Ziva's hand and smiled at the stunning ring. "It's absolutely perfect for you. Did you pick it?"

Ziva smiled again proudly "No he picked it out for me and asked me to be his wife on bended knee at my apartment, the day after the funeral." Ziva's smile slipped as she considered part of the reason she was married to Tim was in fact Jennifer Sheppard's death.

Tony leaned over and checked it out, whistling "Damn Probie, that looks expensive. Nice."

"Awwww Timmy that's so sweet." Abby bent over and kissed McGee on the forehead. "I always figured he would be a bended knee kind of guy." She tucked some of his loose fringe behind his ear tenderly and trailed her finger down his soft cheek before turning again to Ziva.

"So what else? Come on I shouldn't have to drag this stuff out of you. You should want to talk about your wedding!"

Ziva laughed "Yes it is a relief actually to be able to talk about it. Here I brought you this to have a look at."

"What is it?" Abby reached for the large leather bound album

"Our wedding album. Or as Tim called it our relationship album."

"Relationship album?

"Tim wanted to have proof so he became a bit obsessed with taking photos of us together to show us … well being together."

Abby opened up the book on the side of Tim's bed while he continued oblivious and the rest of them gathered around, Ziva leaning over Abby's shoulder.

"This first page is our engagement dinner."

Tony stared at the photos of Ziva laughing from the comfort of McGee's lap, his arms wrapped around her, Ziva nibbling his ear.

He had called her that night, drunk and awash with guilt and anger. He had wanted….. what? Comfort from her? Reassurance? He remembered that he was worried she didn't call him back as Ziva always called him back. Now he knew why.

While he drowning himself trying to free himself from his own sorrows Probie had instead tried to find Ziva a way to escape some of hers. Still seeing the two of them so happy and apparently carefree bit uncomfortably deep and he fell silent as Abby turned the pages.

"And this is our wedding. Sarah was witness, she smuggled in some confetti. Oh you should have heard what she was saying to Tim. I thought he was going to back out by the time she finished with him. And Tim insisted on cake, I think we fought about it? He helped me pick out the dress too. He went and sat outside because it was bad luck but I insisted"

Abby too felt her enthusiasm drain away as she saw her two friends smiling, touching and laughing with each other. Page after page of stolen private moments she had never shared.

"And that was our first Sunday park lunch. We liked it so much it became a bit of a tradition. I would run and take Jethro and Tim would write in peace in the morning and then he would bring down a packed picnic hamper and a rug before taking us home. And that's Fourth of July at Tim's parents place. Their whole neighborhood gets together to watch the fireworks…. And that's….."

Abby remembered Tim telling her he was going to his parents place when she had asked him what he was doing for the Fourth of July weekend. She had been considering asking him to spend it with her but decided not too when it seemed he had plans.

Plans with Ziva.

Gibbs watched Ziva as she smiled and laughed at Tim's bedside. She looked more relaxed and happy than he had seen her in a long time as she finally got to tell the story of her and Tim together. Gibbs watched silently as she stood beside Tim's bed, pointing to this picture and that softly leaning over the edge of the bed, her forearm touching his.

Gibbs sighed quietly to himself. Shit. Did Ziva even know herself?


	12. Chapter 12

_Shush, shush, shush, shush, shush, _

The rhymic scrape of his sandpaper and block over the smooth timber beams of his boat soothed the thoughts of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. After all this time as an investigator seeing the often violent results of peoples most extreme emotions he was still amazed by people. Two months had gone by since McGee had been shot and Gibbs realized that Ziva was actually in love with him. And yet essentially nothing had changed.

Gibbs had watched his team and waited for the inevitable fallout. The tears, the confrontations and the recriminations.

Which never happened.

He had created Rule Twelve to avoid these sort of scenarios. Well not this scenario. Who could have predicted one member dating and being married simultaneously to two different members of the same team?

McGee was finally not only out of hospital but was back at work although it would still be a while till he was cleared for field duty. Still it was good to have him back in any capacity and his best work was extracting information out of machines anyway.

They had been blessed not to loose him completely. It was a hell of a lucky shot, cleanly traveling straight through on an angle between his ribs missing almost everything vital. Well a briefly collapsed lung repaired during surgery but other than that miraculous.

Tony had started comparing McGee to a lucky Leperacorn and kept asking him for directions to his 'Pot of Gold' while dancing and leaping about much to the consternation of McGee. Tony would rub his head for luck messing up his hair every time he went out and persisted in buying children's rainbow stationary for McGee. Just yesterday Tony had expressed his relief that his friend had returned to him safely by rigging his desk drawer to explode with Lucky Charms when opened. McGee seemed too happy to be relieved of the boredom of being too well for hospital and being stuck recuperating at home that he hadn't retaliated.

Yet.

After the shooting Gibbs had watched as the team settled into a strange new routine. Abby and Ziva would visit with McGee in hospital separately after work. Ziva had a key to McGee's apartment cut for Abby and they took turns in making sure Jethro was walked and fussed over. They would talk about him as if he was a mutual concern, which in a way he was.

Ziva wore her wedding rings openly at work now and Gibbs noticed after a visit with McGee in the hospital that he too now wore his gold band. No need to hide it from them now really and legally they were married. Still it had seemed strange seeing the gold wedding band on Tim's young long fingered hand as it rested on the hospital bed. Stranger still when he watched McGee's hands while down at the shooting range making sure he would have no trouble re certifying once cleared for field duty. Tim's hands wrapped around the butt of a gun and the glint of the band seemed strange to Gibbs although he had seen it on other men a thousand times over.

_Shush, shush, shush, shush,_

Gibbs would muse on it late at night while working on his boat, the grain of the wood running smooth and uncomplicated under his fingers. He wasn't one to pry into his teams personal lives. He had created Rule Twelve to try and make sure their private lives didn't cross over into work too much. But he just didn't understand it and even the Jack Daniels that warmed his throat didn't offer up any solutions.

He was still convinced that Ziva loved McGee. There was a tenderness he saw in her eyes when he would catch her looking across at Tim's empty desk that he had never seen before. And yet from what he gathered from various jibes from Tony, Ziva had been out on the occasional very quiet date.

And Abby. Abby who Gibbs knew loved McGee had yet to formalize anything and they still seemed stuck in some caring non committed relationship vacuum. Abby hadn't been dating anyone else but he had caught her looking pained and confused in the rare times he managed to catch her in a contemplative mood. She was as demonstrative as ever but Abby and McGee had always even as friends been close and it was hard to read physical signals from a woman who hugged the office cleaner as often as she hugged Tony.

Gibbs himself had felt an almost physical pain on the one occasion he had caught Abby staring at Ziva's wedding rings. Ziva had been engrossed in something and hadn't noticed her bright eyes puzzling out the glints and facets of the stunning diamond. Abby had suddenly sensed his presence and instead of whirling towards him as she usually did she quickly turned away and didn't meet his eyes. Whatever was going on with her and McGee she was choosing not to tell him about it and he respected her privacy.

Gibbs wasn't sure if McGee returned Ziva's love. For someone with such expressive eyes he sure was getting better at hiding his emotions. Generally when he went to the hospital there was someone else there during visiting hours drawing McGee's attention. He had even seen that Leah woman leaving on occasion.

Gibbs had been sure that when McGee came back to work and was working with Ziva every day he would know for sure. A look, a classic McGee sigh, an eye roll or a gentle smile. Something.

But what Gibbs hadn't counted on was that their relationship was completely changed regardless of whether they were in love with each other. Gibbs couldn't compare them to how they were together before Vance had split the team because too much had changed between them. The level of trust they had in each other, the shared experiences, the time spent alone together had resulted in a relaxed intimate closeness between the two of them that completely messed with Gibbs' radar.

Besides they were all grown adults perfectly capable of looking after themselves. Even Tony. If they wanted to deny their feelings for their own purposes then so be it. He wasn't going to be the one that threw a potential live grenade into the middle of a living breathing fully functioning team.

_Shush shush shush shush shush_

Still.

If McGee somewhere in his generous heart did really truly love Ziva wouldn't Abby want to know? Abby had never compromised on love and she had had four years and countless opportunities to take McGee's offered heart and make it hers.

What if McGee and Ziva could be happy together if they knew? Like really honest to goodness happy? The way Shannon and he had been before everything changed.

_Shush shush shush shush shush_

Ziva had sacrificed a lot to do the right thing and save him. Her own family was dead at her hand and Gibbs literally trusted her with his life and his new family. His team. If the time came and they were all teetering on the brink would he allow them to fall? If it was the right thing to do could he allow them to fall into each others arms?

Gibbs took another long sip of his Jack Daniels as he paused in the soft light of his basement.

Damn he was going to need more sandpaper.

9

(Please review and just let me know your reading. Thanks Precious)


	13. Chapter 13

"Tony! Could you please stop checking out my wife's ass!" Tim tried to keep the smirk out of his voice as he caught Tony checking Ziva out as she crawled carefully along the floor looking for spent shell casings in the thick carpet.

Tony sighed exasperated "Well could you please ask your WIFE not to wear those super tight pants and crawl around in front of me?"

Tim smiled again "I could try but she doesn't listen to me. I'm only married to her"

Ziva shot them a narrowed eyed look from the floor "Would you two please try and do some work? Otherwise I will never get to go home and bake barefoot in Tim's kitchen" Ziva smirked and stuck her head under the bed and missed the eye rolls from the two men standing behind her.

"Rather you than me Probie. Man, having Ziva as the Old Ball and Chain can't be much fun. It would be nag, nag, nag all the time. Put the toilet seat down, stop checking out those cute chicks, pick up those wet towels" Tony started dusting the artwork in front of the wall safe for prints.

"Ah well statistically married men do live longer than single men. It's supposed to be due to all the lavish care and attention they receive from their loving wives. Hey Ziva!" Tim suddenly hopped sideways from the bed as Ziva stabbed at his foot from under the bed. Tony burst out laughing as Tim looked indignantly at the large bed currently concealing his 'loving' wife.

"Now now you two love birds. Keep it clean this is supposed to be a crime scene you know."

"If you don't start working all three of you are going to be in the doghouse" Gibbs voice pierced the air from the next room over.

Tim sniffed dramatically "Given the amount of attention Jethro gets from Ziva I would be better off in his doghouse."

"Well he's like the best bits of the two of you combined. Smart, affectionate, strong, protective, hairy, playful and he runs faster than both of you. Why wouldn't I prefer his company to the two of you?"

"Um his breath smells like dog biscuits?" Tim looked thoughtful.

"Have you smelt Tony's breath after a long night on stake out?" Ziva grinning popped her head out from behind the bedside table.

"Good point" Tim nodded straight faced while making notes on the position of the smashed lampshade

"Hey I object to you guys telling me I have dog breath" Tony waived his purple fingerprint brush at them in emphasis, resulting in him sneezing from the fine powder.

"If I hear one more peep out of any of you!"

"So what I'm a chicken now too?"

"TONY!"

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

"So tonight's the night Probie!"

"I really don't think giving me a Bachelor's party is a good idea. Besides it's a bit late isn't it?"

"It's never too late Probie. Besides it's too important for you to miss out on. And I absolutely insist so you can't back out. This sort of thing is what Tony's do best! I will come pick you up after work. Try and wear something that doesn't say 'I am a big McDork' ok?"

Tim looked doubtful and concerned faced with Tony's boundless enthusiasm.

"So what exactly are we going to be doing?"

"Well first we will grab something to eat. Something greasy and suitable for a long night of drinking, then off to a bar to meet up with some other guys and get you nice and liquored up and then we head to the Red Windmill!"

"The Red Windmill?"

"Oh Geez McGee? Don't tell me you haven't heard of the Red Windmill? It's a strip club McGee, you know pole dancing, topless waitresses, lap dancing? If it makes you feel better think of it as a sort of cabaret show…. But with beautiful nude woman in it"

"Oh" Was all Tim could think of in response to that. He turned and pleaded with his eyes over his shoulder "Are you sure you're not going to come Boss? I would feel safer… err better if you came too?"

Gibbs laughed "Oh I think you two will be able to get up to enough mischief on your own."

"Oh"

Tony grinned. "Don't worry McGee I have done this countless times and I have never lost a groom yet. Ok there was that time we wrapped him naked to a light pole with cling wrap for a couple of hours and then when we came back thought he had escaped… but it just turned out we were so drunk we went back to the wrong light pole!"

"Oh"

Abby and Ziva watched as McGee became more concerned as Tony started expounding the glories of various Bachelor Party activities enthusiastically. Words like hair dye, police escort, handcuffs and fat biker chicks littered the scenic imagery.

"Now Tony you better make sure he comes back with his eyebrows attached. I'm a bit attached to his eyebrows. There's no point surprising him if he doesn't have any." Abby teased

"I'm a bit attached to my eyebrows" mumbled Tim as he cleared and tidied his desk ready for the morning, reluctant to leave and set in motion a train of events which seemed to inevitably lead to something he would regret.

Tony grinned and clapped McGee on the shoulder "Ok no more stalling. You are going to have fun tonight. Trust me"

Ziva leered at the two of them "Just make sure that he doesn't wake up with any new tattoos. I don't want to find DAVE tattooed onto McGee's bicep in the morning. Otherwise I will be holding you responsible Tony."

"Oh come on now Ziva? Don't you guys trust me to take good care of the probimeister here?"

The two woman looked at each other and laughed "No"

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

"I love Ziva! I LOVE ZIIIIVVVAAAAA" Tim burbled happily as he swayed down the pavement one arm swung over Tony shoulders.

"Yes yes and you love me and Gibbs and the moon and the trees and you definitely loved the blonde in the sparkly G-string McGee"

"Desiree"

"I cannot believe how much money you gave her McGee"

"It was for her collage fund hiccup she's going to collage to be a nucelarrrr fissshh istist"

"Yeah right"

"Anyway they were lots of little bills. Little tiny weeny notes" Tim pinched his thumb and forefinger together to show how small they were "otherwise I would never have got them into her teeny, tiny panties" Tim laughed hysterically and nearly threw himself out of Tony's arms.

"Woah there big fella" Tony retained his grip on McGee as he ambled wobbly down the pavement

"Tony!" Tim turned to Tony as if suddenly overcome with a marvelous idea. "We should go back! I'm sure we haven't seen all the girls dance yet and they might be sad that I missed out on one of them"

"Oh I'm sure you've seen enough McGee. Besides I don't think your going to be happy about the state of your bank balance in the morning as it is."

"Phewshhh Its just money"

"Yeah you say that now but I'm sure I'm going to hear about it later!"

Tim smiled blearily up at Tony and patted him affectionately on the head like he would with Jethro. "You're a good friend Tony"

"Thank you McGee" Tony wondered how someone so determined most of the early evening to not get into any trouble was the same person responsible for getting them kicked out of a strip club at 4.30 in the morning.

"Did I tell you I love Ziva?"

Tony sighed "Yes Tim you did."

"Oh good cause that was supposed to be a secret. Do you love her Tony?"

Tony blinked for a second. A secret?

"Yeah I care for her McGee. She's a good chick"

"Yes she is. You sheeeeee people think shes so tuff but underneff all that she is just trying to hide her hurts you see Tony? You sheee? She needz someone strong to watch after her hiccup and to make sure she looks after herself cause she puzzhes herself too hard. That could be you Tony. Yup. Could be you. So hurry up would u! Cause Zivva needs someone to love her. She doesn't tell me but I see her watching sometimes and I can tell she is lonely. She deservses to be loved Tony"

Tim shook his head violently and collapsed, sitting down in the gutter dragging Tony with him and wrapping his arm once again around his shoulders. Tony sat thoughtfully for a moment watching his friend smiling goofily up at the vast expanse of stars above them. There was a tiny tinge of light starting to peek over the horizon and every moment made it seem more morning than night.

"Tim? Do you love Abby?"

Tim smiled sadly "I will ALWAYS love Abby" He opened up his arms wide encompassing the entire world and fell back onto the pavement and lay there looking up at the sky. "But I'm not what she needz. Not really, but she loves me too do you see? And I'm different to who I was so maybe this time it could work?"

Tony considered this for a moment in the peaceful early morning city clatter of rubbish skips being emptied and delivery trucks reversing.

"Tim? Do you love Ziva?" Tony was quiet, trying to convey the seriousness of the question to his vastly inebriated friend.

Tim was silent for a moment as he considered this

"Yes"

Tony lay back on the cold pavement next to McGee as well, his feet still in the gutter and just let his thoughts roam for a moment.

"You know McGee I think its time I should get you home."

"Okey doky Tony. Can we go back to the Windmill again? I promised Ebony hiccup I would help her with her sppinzz. She's got the state pole dancing championchipzz coming up next week."

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

Gibbs peacefully sipped at this first coffee of the day as he sat on his porch in the early morning just letting the beginning of the day wash over him. It was going to be a beautiful day bright and clear with a cloudless sky. The slightest wind was moving through the trees and the birds were already up and about.

With a smile Gibbs pulled his cell out of his pocket and began listening to the dozen messages that had been left on it during the night.

Just what had those knuckleheads got up too?

8.35pm  
"Boss ah McGee here. Well you know it's McGee. Sorry. I just thought I would let you know that I'm going to slip off later and if Tony rings you tell him not to worry ok? I've just gone home."

9.40pm  
"Ok I'm still here. Tony's trying hard and it would be rude to simply go so early. But it won't be a late night. Ok."

10.00pm  
"McGee here umm well we're at this bar downtown and apparently the guys are getting ready to all head off to this Red Windmill place so I'm going to try and head off now. Just so you know. I will get a cab as Tony made me have a couple of drinks. Uhh Bye"

12.30am  
"Shsshhhh he'll be asleep!" Gibbs could hear a woman laughing in the background above the loud music

12.45am  
"Say hello!"  
"Who is it?"  
"Gibbzzzz"  
"Is that your Dad?"  
Gibb could hear McGee laughing "No my Bozz"  
"Hello Mr Gibbs Sir?"  
"Say who you are!"  
"Umm I'm Ebony"  
'She's a pole dancing champpppiooonnnn. Woops"

1.52am  
"Gibbs!! Gibbs! If Tony calls Teri and Sherry, their twins by the way and I are running off too…Where?"  
"Barbados!"  
"No I've always wanted to go to Fiji"  
"Ok ok Barbados and then Fiji. They don't even mind if I'm MARRIED cause in Fiji it doesn't matter"  
Giggling and then the phone snapped shut

2.12am  
"no Tony don't take the phone!"  
"McGee stop calling people!"  
"Okay Okay just give it back its expensive"

2.14am  
"Hello Gibbs? Tony tried to take my phone but I got it back." McGee giggled

2.15am  
"Did I tell you Tony tried to TAKE MY PHONE?"

3.04am  
"Boss Tony here. Sorry but it seems that McGee has gone AWOL on me. If he phones you can you let me know where he is? I know I know. You would not believe how fast he is when he has the right sort of motivation."

3.25am  
"Boss its ok I found McGee. Best if I not tell you the details but ah yeah. Hes ok just forget about this call actually."

4.20am  
Gibbs heard the sounds of a scuffle and what sounded like kissing sounds  
"McGee! Put her down! No she can't come with us. All three of them I'm sure have to go home and get some sleep. No McGee. Bad McGee No.."

Gibbs smiled and was glad. It sounded like the boys had a good time. Or well it sounded like McGee had a good time. He was glad they had the weekend to sleep it off. He finished his coffee, stretched and considered how wonderful it felt to be sober on such a glorious morning.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

It was midmorning when Tony's cell rang. He smiled when he checked the ID. McGee. Well here we go.

"Tony?'

"Yeah McGee" Tony tried to hide a smile as Tim whispered huskily into the phone

"Umm is there anything about last night I should know about?"

Tony considered their pavement conversation

"Do you remember much about last night McGee?"

"Not much"

"Then No not really"

"Oh Good……………Tony?"

"Yeah McGee?"

"I have a G-String in my pants pocket"

"Is it pink?"

"No. Blue."

"Really? Check your other pocket"

"Ahhh"

"Pink?"

"Pink" McGee confirmed

"Tony?"

"Yes McGee?"

"I have glitter in my hair"

Tony considered Tim's flashdance impression where a bucket of glitter was dumped on him as part of the finale.

"Probably best if you don't worry about that McGee."

"Oh"

There was a pause, a groan and then "Ok Tony. I think I'm going to go back to bed now. As long as you think every things ok."

Tony smiled sadly "Everything's fine Tim. Good night, sleep tight and I'll see you Monday."

"Tony?"

"Yes McGee?"

"Thanks"

Tony smiled "Don't mention it"

(

(Oh come on now people! You have to give me a review for that! Guy bonding, drunk McGee, caring Tony, smirking Gibbs. Just let me know your reading if you like. Precious)


	14. Chapter 14

**(Thank you for your patience with me updating. Sorry I know it's short but didn't want to stick with anything else. Was going to do another characters bit but Abby insisted. Thank you for the reviews does help me continue. More to come)**

Abby chewed on the end of her pigtail. She couldn't help it. She was anxious and confused and she didn't like it. Yeah on the surface they were all happy, happy but underneath she knew there was big empty pit. And the pit had smooth sides to prevent escape. And it had sharpened stakes at the bottom ready to skewer the unprepared heart. It had gone on for too long now and she knew she needed to make a decision. She needed help though. She took a deep breath and Instant Messaged Tony.

It wasn't long until Tony's curiosity had created a reason to go down and visit Abby in her lab.

"What's up Abb's?" Tony sauntered in, a grin on his handsome face.

Abby grabbed Tony's shirt and hauled him down to the far end of her lab and sealed the door.

"Ahhh something wrong Abs?" Tony began to feel a bit nervous as he never was one hundred percent sure what Abby might do at anytime. That was one of the things he liked about her.

"Tony. I need you to cross your heart and swear that you won't reveal this conversation to anyone. I need someone I can trust ok?"

"Wow Abby this sounds serious. Are you ok? Did anyone hurt you?" Tony looked instantly concerned and Abby wrapped Tony in a fierce hug, delighted in his desire to keep her safe. He was so good to her.

Abby pulled Tony down to sit next to her on the floor and took a deep breath. "It's about McGee."

Tony sat there silent wondering just what he should say. What could he say? McGee was really drunk and confessing his love to anything that moved. Surely a drunken confession couldn't be held against him?

Abby continued on not really looking for participation "I need you to understand something Tony. I love McGee I really really do. I think I always will but it just doesn't work between us. Not the way it should but it works enough that we think it will be ok. Do you understand?"

Tony simply nodded and considered Tim's similar words. He thought it might work this time because he had changed so much since they had first met and loved each other.

Abby nodded to herself tears in her eyes. "Yes. It would be easier if I didn't love him but I do. And that's what makes it so hard. But we can't be who we need to be together. I never realized how much I hurt him the first time around and I really didn't want to do that again so I have been…. waiting… waiting to see if one day I would wake up somehow even more in love with him than I was and somehow that could make me a different person. But it hasn't happened. And so we haven't been really committed together but we aren't apart either. And now I know that this ….. waiting is even worse than what I did to him the first time around."

Abby promptly burst into tears and Tony pulled her into his arms and just held her while she cried "See? Do you see? I'm always hurting him even when I don't want to and I love him. I really do but every decision I make just seems to turn out wrong for him. He needs to be with someone where everything turns out Right!"

Tony just rocked Abby in his arms and stroked her hair as she cried. She cried out all the possibles and maybes that she had created and dreamed of until she was just left with the answer she had known all along.

"Thank you Tony for talking with me." Abby sniffed and sat up while Tony smiled sadly and tucked her chewed pigtail behind her ear.

Tony shrugged 'Hey what am I here for? You ok now?"

Abby took a deep breath and tried a tremulous smile. "Not really but I will be. I'm going to speak to McGee tonight. No more waiting"

'Atta girl." He watched her for another minute to make sure she was ok then after a bone crushing hug from her he slipped out of the lab to allow her to 'rebalance her chakras'

Instead of heading straight up to the Bullpen Tony sat in the quiet stairwell and considered the conversation McGee was going to walk into tonight. Abby was so strong. It was one thing to have someone break your heart but it was quite another to break your own.


	15. Chapter 15

_Flashback_

"So you see Leah I have to do it. She's a good friend and a team mate. She has risked everything and now they are just going to ship her away. I can't let them do it. It might just be temporary but it's all I can think of. I mean Gibbs is … I don't know. Gibbs has barely said a word since the funeral, Abby is still crying and Tony won't even really meet anyone's eyes. He blames himself. I can't let him blame himself for this too. Jenny's death and Ziva being forced to leave. It's too much too soon."

Leah just smiled quietly and nodded as Timothy McGee paced across her bedroom floor and just let all the anxiety pour out. She had been surprised when she answered her door to him that evening that he had come to tell her he was planning on proposing to another woman but she decided to take it in her stride.

It wasn't like they were ever going to get married. They cared for each other but it had been clear nearly from the beginning that whatever the elusive spark was that made a great couple was missing between them. Still they complimented each other brilliantly and understood each others mind and gentle natures well.

Perhaps that was the trouble. They were too alike? There was no opposing nature to struggle to understand and to admire.

Leah looked at the picture Tim had brought along in his effort to explain the unexplainable to her. Ziva. The woman and friend Tim wanted to marry. She really was beautiful. And not just in a superficial skin deep way. Her eyes showed the flash of passion and determination which was reflected in her strong jaw and confident stance.

Tim crumpled and sat on the edge of the bed next to her.

"Do you think I'm mad?" He turned his expressive worried eyes towards her and Leah laughed softly

"Honestly yes. But I have heard how much they all mean to you and you have all been through a lot lately. If this is something you think you can do Tim, then do it. She may still say no and all this worry might be for nothing."

Tim sighed as he flopped back on the bed and stared anxiously at the ceiling "She might kill me with a paperclip just for considering it"

Leah laughed softly and cuddled into Tim shoulder as they both lay back on the soft quilt contemplating the expanse of plain ceiling.

"Still I will miss this though" Leah sighed a bit regretfully and considered the return to lonely companionless evenings

"Me too." Tim stroked her hair as they lay peacefully in silence considering the future.

"Tim?"

"Yeah?"

"This is a marriage to a friend isn't it?"

"Yeah"

"Well she is a beautiful friend"

Tim smiled up at the ceiling "Yes. Yes she is. Are you jealous?" He asked with curiosity.

Leah considered seriously, safe and warm in his arms "No I don't think so. But I think it might be difficult for you to keep emotionally uninvolved with a beautiful woman who you will need to hold and kiss and be near. Especially when you already know and respect her. You are too generous and caring in nature Timothy."

This was met with silence and Leah continued to breathe in his soft scent and take comfort from his cottony warmth. The silence stretched out into long yet comfortable minutes. There had never been anything awkward between them. But there had never been delicious tension either.

"You know me too well I think. So what do you propose?" Tim smiled softly up into the soft private darkness.

"Well since it is a marriage in name only then I propose we continue to see each other as we have been doing. And when you need to talk about something else other than the team or feel uncomfortable about the situation with Ziva then you know you have someone you can come and talk to if you need to."

Tim considered her offer. It seemed so simple and it made sense. There would definitely be things he would need to get off his chest even if he did manage to convince Ziva to marry him.

"And perhaps … if you needed a hug sometime I could give it to you"

"A hug?"

"Oh yes. Or perhaps a kiss"

"A kiss?"

"I thought you would never ask" Leah smiled playfully in the dark and kissed Tim softly on his full lips and held him close.

(

_(End flashback)_

(

Leah smiled and waived at Tim so he could see her where she sat at the restaurant table. He smiled and came over. They didn't have much time to see each other anymore but they were still good friends. She had known before he did when he started to develop feelings for Ziva as she had known he would. She became an almost constant topic of his conversation and the comforting physical intimacy between them had slowly disappeared until it was non existent.

He wouldn't betray a lover even when she didn't know he loved her. Even when he didn't recognize he loved her.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Have you told her yet Timothy?"

"Told her what yet?"

"That you love her, silly"

Tim sighed and leaned further over the table towards her.

"Well no actually….. I keep waiting for Abby to indicate that she would like us to be exclusive… or something. Which seems silly as I'm the married one but… I don't want to rush her and freak her out. I do love her and she knows that. I have loved her since the first time I saw her. So I suppose I'm just sort of waiting. There must be something though because it was her that asked me out when I came back into the team. And that was all before…. Well you know I got shot and everyone found out about me and Ziva"

Leah smiled softly and lifted up Tim's chin with her hand and looked into his eyes.

"It wasn't Abby that I was talking about."

Tim just started at her shocked.

"You think I'm cheating on Abby with Ziva?" Tim was morally horrified and aghast that Leah could imply such a thing.

"No no Timmy. Not like that. I'm sorry I shouldn't have said it that way." Leah tried to soothe him as he became indignant.

"Then what way should you have said it? What do you really mean then? I've told you, told everybody I'm just married to Ziva. We're good friends that's all. I care for Abby, always have. After all this time I finally have a chance to be with Abby and I couldn't be happier about it." Tim took a breath and tried to explain to Leah what he had spent his nights lying awake thinking about.

"It's just been hard with me and Abby because well…… coming back to the team, getting shot, the time recovering, and all the change wasn't part of the plan. But once everything settles down then I know we will be ok. We will be together like we were" Tim's anger started to fade out as Leah continued to watch him speak, a sad little smile on her face.

Tim started up again trying to justify the truth he saw in her eyes.

"Ok so I have gotten to know Ziva better but that's hardly a crime is it. Alright so I care for Ziva but it's just a little crush, nothing to write home about. I mean I would never…."

"Shussssshhhh Timothy. It's alright. I know you would never cheat on Abby, especially with Ziva. But I think you need to be aware of what's right in front of you. Of what's right in front of everybody. That's why I wanted to meet with you tonight. I was hoping you would figure it out on your own but I forgot how determined and loyal you are" Leah stroked his hand reassuringly trying to show that she considered it a compliment not a fault.

Tim's lip quivered a bit as he felt the seriousness of the conversation and the implications overtake him.

"Its not really working between you and Abby is it?"

Tim was quiet and his eyes suddenly found something very interesting in the weave of the restaurant tablecloth before he said quietly "No"

Leah smiled encouragingly "Timothy, I'm just telling you how I see it. And please tell me if I'm wrong but I think Abby was the dream girl for who you were. But you're not that person anymore. Like you have said to me you have changed a lot in the last couple of years and now I think its time you let that particular dream go. For both your sakes."

Tim felt his heart ache in his chest as it was pierced by a truth so strong and pure it shattered his fragile illusions he had carefully constructed piece by piece around a life filled with him and Abby. He felt embarrassed as his eyes filled with unshed tears and he kept his head down. He would not be caught crying in a restaurant. People would think Leah brought him here to dump him. He tried to wipe his eyes unobtrusively and just sat there a moment feeling everything shift and re settle in his perception.

He took a deep breath and dared to raise his eyes and meet Leah's as she smiled softly at him and continued to squeeze his hand.

Tim sniffed and muttered "Well a great dinner this is turning out to be" Leah laughed and after patting his hand released it.

"Sorry I didn't mean to come on all physiatrist on you but I figured if I had got it wrong you would tell me to butt out and hopefully no harm done."

Tim nodded "No thank you. I think I have know for a while it wasn't working but I just kept hoping that maybe this or that would change and we would be ok. I mean she's so great. She's smart and funny and beautiful and we have always just clicked you know?" He sighed and rubbed his hands over his face.

"What am I going to do? I'm going to have to tell her. I mean we have just been supposedly 'casual dating' but it's always meant so much more than that. And I do still care for her so much and I will be seeing her everyday and I don't want to hurt her and…."

"Timothy. Stop torturing yourself. Don't you think that if Abby had no concerns about you two then she would have committed to you a long time ago?"

This pulled Tim completely up short and he just sat there "Oh"

Leah smiled at the warm hearted, generous, gentle man across from her who had once been a lover and was now a friend. Truly for someone as intelligent as he was he could be a bit clueless sometimes, but perhaps that was due to him caring so much for so many people.

"Did you still want to get something to eat?"

Tim shook his head "Ah thanks but I think I need to go see Abby. I will only be thinking about it non stop until I do anyway." Tim stood up to leave before he paused and going over to her bent down and gently, warmly kissed her cheek.

"Thank you."

"Good luck" Leah watched him go with a sigh and wished him well.

(

(Yes yes I know no Ziva yet but I promise it's coming.I didn't want it to seem like McGee was cheating on Abby and keep their friendship intact so needed to get resolved between the two of them before we get into the big McGiva stuff . Ziva would never force herself onto Tim as she thinks he loves Abby and endanger her friendship with Abby. I also wanted to explain the situation with Leah as it was and as it is now and how it has changed. Blah blah enough justification. Anyway I hope it makes sense to you dear readers. Thanks for your support and reviews by the way. Precious.)


	16. Chapter 16

"Tim what are you doing here?" Abby was surprised to find him on her doorstep as she had just returned from a fruitless trip to Tim's apartment, hoping to be able to speak to him.

Tim looked at her sadly, his shoulders slumped and his voice quiet.

"Hey Abb's. Could we talk?"

And that was all it took. Abby broke into a trot and flung herself into his arms. The two stood in front of her door and just held each other. After spending a thousand hours working side by side and learning every different mood and reaction of the other, they both just knew what the other wanted to say.

Tim stroked his hand slowly up and down her back as she quivered in his arms.

"I'm so sorry Timmy. I want to love you more and make it work but I just can't keep hurting you. It's making me doubt myself and everything I'm doing and that's making me so unhappy."

"Shush Abby. It's ok. I love you bold and brilliant and daring and crazy. I don't want you to change, especially for me. I wouldn't love that Abby the way I love this one."

Abby hiccupped and nodded her head on his shoulder. She should have known he would understand. Tim gently rocked her in his arms as the minutes passed, just the two of them standing in the chill night air.

Tim kissed the top of Abby's head "But we'll always be friends right?" His voice nearly broke and she heard the desperate need for her to say yes as he briefly clenched her in his arms.

Abby smiled tearfully and pulled back so she could look up at him.

"Always Timmy. Always." Her voice was rough as she patted his cheek affectionately while he leaned down and kissed her forehead, wiping her tears away with his warm gentle fingers.

They slowly stepped away from their embrace and watched each other smiling. Tim took a deep breath "So I will see you Monday then?"

Abby didn't trust herself to speak and just nodded as her traitorous eyes filled with tears again. Tim ducked his head down so she couldn't see his eyes and whirling he quickly strode back towards his car. Abby stood alone on her doorstep and watched him drive away.

"See you Monday McGee" she whispered quietly to herself before turning she let herself inside and closed the door.

When Ziva entered the Bullpen on Monday morning she couldn't help but pick up on the slightly somber mood. Even Tony was quietly already working on his computer. There were no McGee pranks, shouted laughter or tall tales being told. McGee too was working quietly on his computer, his head down not meeting her eyes. She glanced across at Gibbs to try and judge his reaction. Had Tony and McGee already been in trouble with Gibbs, is that why they were so quiet?

Gibbs simply looked at her and smiled. He seemed quiet but somehow happy? No not quite the right word. Satisfied about something?

Something was wrong and she knew it. McGee had asked not to meet her for their regular Sunday picnic together simply saying he needed some more time to write something for his publisher. He also hadn't returned the calls she had made, leaving messages about picking up his dry cleaning and dinner next week to meet Sarah's new boyfriend.

She didn't want to simply walk across to McGee and demand he tell her what is was. That would cause a bit of a scene and she was less likely to get whatever it was that was privately bothering him out in the middle of the bullpen. And he didn't like it when she followed him into the men's room. She had already learned that.

So the next best thing. She sat down at her desk, booted up her computer and waited. Finally she caught Tony's eyes and a few minutes later followed him around the corner away from the others.

"What have you done to him Tony" Ziva demanded, itching to soothe away Tim's pouty sad face with gentle little kisses and smothering that under a fierce protectiveness.

"Hey don't look at me. I haven't touched him" Tony raised his hands up in the air helpless as Ziva glared at him.

"Well something's not right."

"You don't know?" Tony asked surprised

"Don't know what Tony? Tell me" Ziva poked Tony squarely in the chest

"Well Abby and McGee broke up on the weekend. I gather it was a mutual thing but you know, still kind of sad for the two of them. I'm surprised he didn't tell you."

Ziva literally reeled, as a shower of sparks exploded behind her eyes and she gawked at Tony.

"What?"

"Are you Ok Ziva? You seem a bit surprised?" Tony hadn't expected this reaction from cool as a cucumber Ziva. Maybe she was just surprised because she hadn't been told? Her and McGee had become pretty close through the husband/wife thing and well McGee had already told him he had developed some feelings for …………Oh.

Oh wow.

Ziva in the meantime was walking in a small circle trying to contain whatever it was welling up inside. She wanted to curl her toes and scream and dance and start a riot from the joy bubbling up in her. Instead her eyes flashed as she silently paced, her thoughts bubbling up and interrupting each other. Snuggled up under his arm as he read to her, waking up naked in his arms and not pretending to be asleep so he could move away, finally being able to reveal to him how she truly felt without guilt and misunderstanding and regret tingeing their kisses.

Kisses! Oh there would be kisses. And laughter and hugs and joy and secret smiles and pinched butts and naughty notes and blushes and everything she had thought about and had suppressed flooded through her.

Timothy McGee was free. Free to love her. She was free. Free to stake her claim on his heart. Suddenly she stopped. What if he didn't want her? She had never allowed herself to think that far but now?

Full of fresh questions Ziva patted Tony absent mindedly and walked back to her desk not even seeing Tony as he watched her.

Tony too went and sat down at his desk, his mind stuck on a sort of flaring test pattern of colors. Ziva and McGee? For real this time? Tony blinked rapidly as he realized he had been staring out into space wide eyed, drying his eyes out.

He had always sort of figured that eventually, one day he and Ziva would get their act together and well… get together. She already classified as the longest relationship of any kind he had had with a woman and he always figured………..

Tony remembered the talk they had had together in Autopsy about Gibbs and Jenny being partners after Jenny died. He had said that it was inevitable that Gibbs and Jenny would get together, comforting each other after facing the dangers alone together undercover and Ziva had denied it. Tony had been thinking not just of Jenny and Gibbs but of the two of them as Ziva stood with him in the dim light after searching him out to comfort him in his misery and guilt.

Well it looks like Ziva was right again. It wasn't inevitable that they would get together. It would have been less than 48 hours later than Tim got down on bended knee and proposed to Ziva and started this whole ball rolling while he sulked and nursed a hang over. To the bold man goes the triumph.

Tony felt his own special brand of DiNozzo sadness as he watched another missed opportunity at happiness pass him by. Still. Tim was a really good guy and would literally die before hurting Ziva.

An image of Tim lying in a pool of his own bright blood as Ziva knelt by his side and Tim cradled her face in his hand flashed before his eyes. No he had been out of the picture for a while now and he just hadn't realized it.

Tony sighed as he watched Ziva smile quietly to herself from behind her monitor, peeking a look across at McGee where he still worked quietly head down over his work.

Wow. Ziva and McGee. Who would have thought it? Tony glanced up at Gibbs and watched as he returned his look with a smile that was more than part smirk.

Damn. Gibbs knew.

Of course. Gibbs always knew.

(More coming! Going to try and wrap this up fairly quickly now and get it done. Hope you like. Precious)


	17. Chapter 17

Ziva was patient. She waited until Tim asked her to start up their regular Sunday picnics together. She waited until he started smiling again at Tony's jokes. She wanted to wait until the perfect moment and then she was going to kiss him until he was breathless and make him hers.

And then Dickson case started and all thoughts of Tim were pushed aside. It had already been five longs weeks on few leads and long nights. Three people had been murdered and it felt like he was taunting them.

McGee watched Ziva as she continued exhausted at her desk scanning again the information in front of her looking for a lead or a connection or anything they could use. This case had affected her most of all. She had come close enough to see the back of him at one crime scene and he had got away. When the next body turned up she became even more relentless, determined he would never be able to do it again.

McGee watched as Ziva's eyes drooped shut for an instant before she snapped them open and continued her search. He sighed, she wasn't going to be effective this way and she would be totally dead on her feet in the morning. Even Tony was preparing to catch a couple of quick hours sleep on the floor behind his desk rather than go home and come back again.

McGee called softly across the Bullpen. "Ziva. You really should get some rest you know."

Ziva ignored him, nearly swaying slightly in her chair. McGee huffed to himself, she was so stubborn! He stood and walked across to her desk and leaning over her small form gathered her into his arms. He stood and spoke to her firmly as she settled her arms limply around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder, yawning.

"Now just this once you are going to listen to me. You're exhausted and you will just be making mistakes. You need to get some sleep and then in the morning you might be in a position to catch this guy. So you are coming away from that computer and you are going to get some sleep over here where I can keep an eye on you? You got that?"

Ziva quietly muttered something rude into his ear and Tim laughed softly in the dim light of the near silent bullpen.

"I will even give you a paperclip in the morning if it makes you feel better. But right now it's bed for you"

Tim gently laid her out on the floor in front of his desk where there was some room and made a pillow for them both with his faithful trench coat. Ziva laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled into him and within seconds she was asleep. Tim yawned himself as he felt himself relax with her warm body curled up beside him. Just for a little while so she could get some sle……

Abby came out of the lift and trudged weary eyed across to Tony's desk. "I have those.."

"Shushhhhhh" Tony pointed across to McGee's desk where Ziva and McGee lay wrapped around each other and fast asleep.

"Awwww that's so cute." Abby dropped her voice to a quiet whisper and sat down beside Tony as he leaned against his desk. They both watched the sleeping couple as they radiated peaceful contentment. Tim was lying on his back his head turned and his nose buried in Ziva's hair while Ziva had draped as much of herself over his body as she could without actually being on top of him.

"You think it's going to be long before they actually get together?" Abby quietly asked Tony

Tony considered McGee's concern for Ziva and his confidence in simply picking her up in his arms and Ziva's complete trust in McGee to allow him to do so while she was so vulnerable.

"No not much longer."

Abby smiled " Good cause I want Timmy to be happy"

Abby tucked her head onto Tony's shoulder and leaned into him, sharing some warmth. The two settled back into silence and kept watch over their exhausted friends.

"Abby? Do you ever wonder…. if we both hadn't waited so long that we might….. you know each of us ended up with them instead?" Tony turned to look at her with sad eyes.

Abby considered this for a minute before she turned and smiled at Tony "You and Ziva?"

Tony shuffled his feet a bit. "Well not now obviously but you know…. Maybe if things had been different."

Abby patted his cheek. "There will be someone for you Tony. I'm sure of it."

Tony smiled "Thanks Abb's" Abby smiled again and with a another look at McGee and Ziva she headed back down to her lab to get a little shut eye herself on her futon.

Tony arranged his lumpy backpack into a sort of pillow then he too lay down in the soft darkness and allowed sleep to take him.

Too few short hours later and Tony woke to find light streaming in the large window, Gibbs up and at his desk and the general bustle and activity of the building indicating that morning was already here. He sat up with a groan and rubbed his back sore from not enough sleep on a floor that was far too hard.

"Morning Boss"

"Morning DiNozzo"

Tony smirked as he saw that Ziva and McGee were still exactly as he last saw them, wrapped around each other practically in the middle of the bullpen, fast asleep. What seemed sweet late last night… or was that morning now seemed down right scandalous.

Tony flicked his head at the couple "Should I wake them up Boss?"

Gibbs peered over his desk and smiled at them "Nope leave them there for a while. They both need the sleep and at the moment I have nothing new for them to run with."

Tony shrugged and went to grab a change of clothes from his locker and to hunt down some breakfast. And a coffee. And some deodorant. And a hairbrush.

Another two hours went by and still Ziva and McGee slept. The working day was now well on its way and Gibbs received more than the odd look as people noticed the two sleeping agents on the floor. Gibbs didn't care. He had seen Ziva last night and had been about to order her to get some sleep or she would be off the case.

His musings where interrupted by a squeak of surprise from Tony

"Ah Boss I really think it's about time we woke them up. Before Ziva does something she could get arrested for!"

Gibbs stood up and leaned over his desk to see Ziva murmuring something into McGee's ear and slowly working her hand down his chest. She appeared to be still fast asleep but her hand was rapidly closing in on McGee's belt buckle. Gibbs cleared his throat and flashed his eyes at Tony not wanting to draw anymore attention to them than necessary.

Tony hopped around his desk and knelt down beside Ziva "Ahh Ziva? ZIVA!"

Ziva started awake and stared at Tony before blinking her eyes furiously trying to clear the heavy sleepiness. "Go away. Let me sleep I was having a wonderful dream…"

"Oh yes I know you were" Tony crowed delighted that he had something he could tease Ziva about and looked down at her other hand where it had succeeded in pulling free part of McGee belt.

Ziva felt herself blush in embarrassment and quickly tucked the belt back in. "It's not what you think!"

"Yeah sure. Whatever. But I think it's about time you both got your butts up and moving about." Tony wiggled his eyebrows at Ziva "Personally David I'm surprised at you taking advantage of a poor defenseless Probie like that."

Ziva just glared at him and tried to free herself from McGee's clutches. McGee released from Ziva's weight on his chest murmured her name in his sleep and as his snuggling instincts kicked in he rolled over on top of her and nuzzled into her neck.

Tony tried to smoother his laugher as Ziva's small body disappeared from view

"You two are seriously as bad as each other!"

"Tony help me wake him up!" Ziva's muffled voice came from somewhere very close to the floor

"No. You told me off when all I was doing was trying to do is make sure McGee wasn't arrested for Indecent Exposure in the middle of a Federal Building. He's your husband so you can wake him up"

Ziva wiggled and poked McGee as she made her way up close to his ear "McGee? Wake up sleepy head. McGee!"

Tim snorted awake from a nice smelling pleasant warm place to find himself staring at Ziva… underneath him….on the floor….in the middle of the Bullpen…. while people photocopied and emailed and drank coffee around him.

He blushed furiously. How long had they slept? Was everyone watching them? He rolled off Ziva and jumped to his feet so fast he made himself dizzy. He leaned over to help her up "Ziva I'm so sorry I didn't realize what time it was. You were so tired and…" Tim mumbled as he flushed pink with embarrassment.

Suddenly Gibbs slammed down the phone with a fierce grin. "Gear up! We got a hit on the BOLO. Looks like this is it."

Ziva grinned fiercely at McGee and the two headed for their desks and grabbed their guns before following Gibbs to the elevator at a run.

Ziva felt a certain satisfaction she knew she shouldn't have felt seeing Dickson gunned down violently. Prison would have been too good for him. She smirked and continued collecting spent shell casings by the bag load. At least this would be the last crime scene attached to this case. Ziva watched as Tim caught her eye and shuffled carefully over trying not to draw Tony's' attention.

"Ah Ziva I wanted to apologize for before. You know ahhh practically climbing on top of you like that. I didn't realize I was doing that. I was still asleep and I didn't want it to seem like I was ahh taking advantage or anything of you." Tim peered at her nervously waiting her answer.

Ziva smiled up at him and leaned close "Don't worry Tim I enjoyed waking up in your arms, even if it was on the Bullpen floor. And I would like to do it again."

Tim opened and closed his mouth before he smiled at her "Really?"

"Really"

Tim's stomach flipped over and it wasn't from the sights of the gory crime scene he was presently standing in. Suddenly he leaned in and with a hand around the back of her neck he pulled Ziva in for a deep long kiss that Ziva felt all the way to her toes. They pulled away from each other flushed and breathless, delight sparking out of Tim's eyes while desire clouded Ziva's.

"Hey you two knock it off! You're meant to be professionals working a crime scene not making out" Gibbs yelled exasperated at them from across the warehouse and they grinned at each other.

"Um well I should you know .. go over here.. or something" Tim's smile was dopey as he considered whether he could sneak in another kiss before Gibbs booted him off the team. Ziva smiled and waited until Tim turned away from her before she reached out and pinched his butt.

"Hey!" Tim laughed while Ziva sighed in delight. "You do not know how long I have wanted to do that!"

Tim wandered starry eyed across to Tony, stood there and sighed. "I kissed Ziva, Tony!"

Tony clicked the camera again before pulling it down from his face and rolling his eyes at McGee. "Yes I know we ALL saw it. Now can you please get back to work?"

Tim hummed happily "Tony?"

"Yes McGee?" Tony tried to keep the smile from his face but wasn't very successful. Finally these two were getting together. It was about time.

"I think I'm in love with Ziva." Tony nearly burst out laughing. Duh.

"Now look here Probie. I'm going to give you some advice. You shouldn't just bandy the four letter word about. It's dangerous. You should really get yourself all twisted up inside before you ever dare use it. If you just tell her than she knows she's got you and then you're screwed. Do you see?"

Tim considered this for a minute "What's wrong with her knowing she's got me? She knows that already."

Tony smirked at his naive friend "Ahh but until you have told her then she's not 100 sure. So you need to keep that in reserve for as long as possible"

Tim looked thoughtful before he whirled around and shouted at Ziva across on the other side of the crime scene "Ziva!"

"Yes McGee?" Ziva called back as she stood in her bullet proof vest surrounded by spent shell casings and blood.

"I think I LOVE you!" Tim shouted in delight while Ziva threw back her head and laughed. The other agents stood and watched the pair in amazement before continuing on with their jobs with a smile.

"So like that Tony?" Tim's eyes danced while Ziva blew him air kisses.

Tony just sighed. "Now you've done it Probie. You're doomed to be Ziva's slave for ever."

Tim's eyes sparkled as he grinned at Tony "And just what is wrong with that?" He sauntered off to a spot where he could see Ziva better while Tony stood rooted to the spot. Now just what would be so bad about that?

Gibbs sighed and tried to keep the smirk off his face. Finally everything seemed to be working out and settling down. Abby had told him that morning that she had begun dating a nuclear physicist with tattoos and a brilliant smile. Ziva looked like she just glowed and he didn't think he had seen her look more beautiful than he did right now even covered in dried sweat and gun residue.

And Tony? Well Tony was always just Tony.

Maybe he would be able to get some real work done on his boat now.

(Nearly at the end now. Please review. Please? Precious)


	18. Chapter 18

Months later

Ziva was telling him off. Again. Tim watched as she stood by his desk, leaning over him. He wasn't really concentrating on what she was saying, something about needlessly putting himself at risk. He loved the way she got angry when she was scared for his safety. It meant that he would be able to hold her close tonight in his arms and he would enjoy spending extra time making sure she knew that he was safe and she was loved.

He still couldn't believe she was his. He watched her eyes, filled with so much passion as her hair tumbled loose around her face. He loved her thick dark hair down around her shoulders and his fingers itched to tuck the loose tendrils behind her ears and run his hands down her jaw and pull her in for a kiss.

A phoenix. That what she reminded him of. All fire and heat and danger and bright gold flashing in the sun. Yes. He loved the way she made him burn.

"McGee! Are you listening to me?" Ziva almost stamped her foot angrily as she tried to catch his attention. Her heart had stopped today as she saw him dash down the alleyway alone and heard the single gunshot echo off the desolate buildings.

Tim smiled sheepishly "Not really. No. Sorry. I'll concentrate. What were you saying?'

Ziva narrowed her eyes and watched him "What were you thinking of just then when you were staring at me?"

Tim smiled quietly "I was just thinking of how you reminded me of a beautiful soaring phoenix, all shining gold and fiery passion. I was considering writing a poem about it tonight actually. But I'm sorry I should have been listening to you. What were you angry at me about?"

Ziva looked at him for an instant and then just melted into his arms and hopped into his lap. She turned and gave his cheek a gentle slap "How am I supposed to tell you off when you go and say something like that to me? Hummm" Ziva leaned in and kissed him and Tim wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

Tony, sitting at his own desk in the Bullpen made loud gagging noises at the display of affection going on at Probies desk. Seriously he never would have thought a guy like McGee would be able to handle a woman like Ziva but it turned out he had her wrapped around his little finger. He would just look at her with those big adoring eyes and scary assassin Ziva would turn into a big puddle of goo. Revolting.

Gibbs walked in, coffee in hand. "Hey you two, knock it off would you?"

Tim smiled embarrassed. "Sorry Boss. Ziva was just telling me off."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at Ziva nestled on McGee lap and her head tucked into his shoulder "Yeah looks like it"

Ziva smiled and whispered into McGee's ear and he smiled back and whispered into hers

"You tell them."

"No you should tell them"

"No it should be you"

"Look whatever it is just tell us would you! And Ziva get out of McGee's lap" Gibbs tried to look cross but could help the smile twitching across his lips at the antics of the couple.

Tim smiled and standing up beside Ziva, reached out and held her hand. Tony sat up straighter feeling an important announcement pending.

Tim looked to Ziva and she smiled and nudged him. Tim took a deep breath.

"We would like to announce…………. that we're going to get married."

Tony exhaled and slumped back into his seat.

"Hate to break it to you but ahh your already are married. Or did you forget?"

"Yeah, well we would like to get married again… to each other… properly. Not as friends…… I mean we're friend's still…better friends in fact than we were…. And not that last time wasn't legal because it was otherwise there wouldn't have been any point. And Ziva wouldn't have been able to stay…. but you know …. This time we can do it for real …. And have friends and family there this time and ….it wouldn't have to be a secret and…..I wouldn't have been shot… and." Tim stumbled over his words until Ziva reached up and shushed him gently by placing one finger over his full lips with her finger. Her eyes danced in amusement as Tim flustered.

Gibbs smiled at them "Well alright then. Congratulations. Again."

He came forward and gave Ziva a gentle hug and a kiss on the cheek before reaching out and firmly shaking McGee's hand. Tim was grinning like a happy idiot, a look which he seemed to have perfected in the months since Ziva and he had got together as a real couple.

Tony leapt up from his desk and pulled McGee into a back slapping enthusiastic hug.

"You know what this means Probie? It mean's we get to do a Bachelors Party all over again." Tony threw back his head and laughed dangerously.

Tim suddenly looked worried as he considered the morning after the last time and the strange mark he wore on his ankle for a week. Gibbs laughed.

"Well well McGee. I might have been married four times but I have never married the same woman twice so you will have one up on me."

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

Eighteen months to the day that Timothy McGee and Ziva David got married the first time they did it all again.

After some consideration Tim asked Abby to be his Best Man and she accepted with delight, almost knocking Tim off his feet with the ferocity of her hug. After some consideration of protocol it was decided that she would wear the same style of slinky dress as the bridesmaids but it would be in black like the rest of the groomsmen. This suited Abby perfectly and Tim was privately convinced she would ensnare the devotion of at least two of his gaming and collage friends he had asked to be groomsmen.

Abby took her role very seriously and Tim paled as she teased him about what exactly she was considering putting into her Best Man speech at the wedding. Tim made up a very specific list banning certain words from being used at the wedding or any of the wedding related functions, particularly in front of his elderly Aunt Ida. Words such as tattoo, coffin, handcuffs, sex, sat at the top of what became a very long list which was carefully updated daily in the week prior to the wedding and posted to Ziva and Tim's online wedding site, much to Gibbs' amusement.

Ziva asked Tony to be her Chief Bridesmaid which he promptly refused, scandalized by the insult.

That was until he realized that this position would mean he would be responsible for the welfare of Ziva's three beautiful dark haired cousins who would be the other bridesmaids in the party as well as being the only man allowed to attend the Bachelorette Party.

Tony was to wear the same suit as the groomsmen but his tie and handkerchief would be in the same silky soft lilac colour of the bridesmaids.

Gibbs took Abby quietly aside and advised that perhaps it might be best to have a fairly tame Bachelor Party for McGee. After Tony recommended knee pads, restraints and a crash helmet if Abby did decide to take McGee anywhere near a strip club Abby decided dinner and disco bowling would perhaps be a safer fun evening.

After the tiny private first registry wedding, Ziva and Tim decided on a large bright spring garden wedding, with their vows said under a large intricately curved timber arch. The arch was a gift from Gibbs, made with his own hands with each of their initials interlinked and carved into the center of the curve. After the wedding it was to be placed in the small but lush garden of Ziva and Tim's new home they had recently purchased together.

Gibbs privately planned to turn it into a porch swing where the two of them could sit snuggled up together and watch the evening sky change color the way he and Shannon once had. The cool evening air tamed by the hot drinks they would clasp in their hands as they listened to the busy day become the soft velvet night and watched the stars appear overhead.

Ziva had chosen to wear the same stunning ivory wedding dress believing that it had only brought her luck and good memories. And it still made Tim break out into a sweat every time he saw it.

This time however instead of having her hair down she had her hair softly curled and elegantly swept up and pinned. She wanted to watch Tim's glorious eyes as she sat on his lap once they were finally alone together while he slowly unpinned her thick hair to softly fall about her shoulders. He would lean in and slowly kiss her bare neck and …….. Ziva shivered in anticipation now wanting the whole thing to simply hurry up and be done with.

Between introducing families to each other and rehearsal dinners and shifting into their new home and working extra shifts in order that the entire team would be available to attend their wedding she hadn't spent anywhere near as much time in Tim's arms as she would like.

But she had spent enough to get something achieved anyway.

Ziva smirked in delight as she watched Tim wring his hands nervously while Abby patted his arm comfortingly. He truly loved her so much, he still seemed worried she might change her mind. Did he think she was going to suddenly change her mind and what? Run? Change her identity and turn up in Bahrain?

He was everything she never knew she was looking for and she was almost overwhelmed with joy. Once she had seriously considered she might simply die alone on some dangerous assignment, her blood draining out into a dirty gutter somewhere. And now? She had a whole new life complete with a new family, a home, somewhere she felt save and someone who loved her for who she was. And for who she would be.

Gibbs rolled his eyes as he watched Tony waiting at the top of the isle taking the opportunity to smile and wink slyly at Ziva's eldest single cousin Laylee standing beside him, a curvaceous vision in figure hugging satin.

This time as Gibbs slowly and proudly walked Ziva up the isle Tim was absolutely certain he heard Sarah crying as she sat next to his parents in the front row.

Even though he knew Ziva loved him and even though he knew they were already married Tim still felt nervous as Ziva placed her hand in his and they turned to say their vows, standing in front of all their closest family and friends as the afternoon sun shone down on them. It was too important and he actually held his breath as he listened to Ziva accept to become his wife.

When the time came to kiss the bride Tim didn't want to release her sweet lips and as their eyes fluttered back open and they pulled apart he swore he would never forget how she looked in that instant as she smiled up at him, flushed with happiness.

It seemed that within minutes it was all over. Again.

Suddenly they were both swept up in wave of congratulations and well wishers which threatened to swamp them both and they caught each others gaze over the crowd and laughed.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

(

Ziva nearly growled in frustration and tossed her head back onto the pillows. They had arranged for their honeymoon night to be back at the Plaza in the same bed they had spent their first night together as husband and wife.

There was a strange sense of completion as if they had brought the whole thing full circle again and it had seemed right the moment Ziva stepped into the room after the long happy evening of dinner, speeches, dancing, photos and laughter.

It appeared that Tim hadn't forgotten the first evening either and Ziva was beginning to suspect he was dithering about getting into bed with her on purpose. She wanted so much just to hold him and yet Tim seemed obscenely focused on hanging up his suit just right to avoid further wrinkles, getting a fresh glass of water for beside the bed, placing his cufflinks just so on top of the drawers, neatening and folding his worn socks, seriously folding his socks? He was doing it on purpose!

"Timothy McGee, you get your cute butt out here and into bed with me right now you hear me!" Ziva called out to him in the bathroom.

"Just a minute… Darling. Still brushing my teeth" Ziva groaned as she could hear the contained laughter in his voice over the sound of running water.

Ziva smiled to herself as she considered the news she had received today and gently stroked her still flat belly. She had suspected but she wanted to be sure before she told him. And today had already been so filled with joy she was worried that if she told him and saw his eyes fill with tears, or he picked her up and whirled her around the room or kissed her breathless she might simply shatter like hot glass in his hands.

She lay and looked up at the ceiling wondering if the child would have big green eyes like Tim's or dark brown eyes like hers. Would the baby be bold and daring like its Father or intelligent and inquisitive like its Mother? Perhaps a little ballerina who would delight in dancing for her Father or maybe a dangerous pirate boy who would drop from trees to startle his mother?

Ziva sighed happily to herself. Tomorrow she would tell him.

If he ever bothered to come out of the bathroom.

She felt his soft breath on her cheek and she opened her eyes with a smile.

"Finally." She reached up to kiss him and he pulled away grinning, naked except for his silk boxers. "Opps forgot to floss….."

Ziva had had enough and she grabbed him and rolled him onto the bed laughing as he willingly wrapped her into his arms.

She nibbled and whispered seductively into his ear "I have a surprise for you in the morning"

Tim smirked "I have a surprise for you right now"

Ziva smiled down at him and wriggled in his arms "Now Tim THAT is hardly a surprise."

"What? Are you saying you don't want it?" Tim pretended to pout and Ziva laughed giddily.

"Now I never said that." And reaching down to kiss him tenderly Ziva surrendered herself to the heated caresses of the man she loved. Timothy McGee.

(Ok people let me know what you think. I hope it gives some satisfaction. I mean two McGiva weddings! A baby! A porch swing! Anyway please let me know if you like or were simply reading. Feels nice to complete something. Thank you very much to my loyal reviewers you helped me get this done and even gave me some great ideas. Thanks! Precious

And now back to Elflord Mistress... where Tim is mortal peril!)


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